Born: 30/8/82 Nationality: American Seeded: 2 World ranking: 2 Wimbledon best: Semi-finals (2003) Recent record: 2003: Semi-finals 2002: 3rd round 2001: 3rd round

He won back-to-back Masters Series titles in August before blasting through the US Open draw to lift his first major title.

While his form dipped after that, he had enough energy left to snatch the end-of-year world number one ranking from Ferrero to complete a dream year.

And he warmed up for Wimbledon with the fastest serve in history at 153mph.

He has worked on adding craft and thought to his game, which is nonetheless still dominated by his brutal serve.

As well as winning at Flushing Meadows, the 21-year-old reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the Masters Cup.

Roddick struggled on the European red clay, where his power is significantly blunted and his patience is tested to the limit, and crashed out of the French Open in the second round.

But he was back to his best ahead of Wimbledon, warming up with victory on the Queen's Club grass for the second successive year.