The myth of the Olympic spirit

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Through all of the Olympian fanfare, they said all the right things.

Andy Roddick said he was exceedingly proud to represent the United States in Athens. Roger Federer explained that winning the gold medal was a high priority, right behind winning Wimbledon and finishing the season ranked No. 1.

APRoger Federer said he was fired up to win an Olympic gold medal, but lost in the second round in Athens.

Federer, to his credit, managed to look appropriately disappointed.

Roddick, who mounted a gallant comeback against Tommy Haas in the second round, seemed positioned to capture the gold medal many had predicted for him. Then he lost in straight sets to Chile's Fernando Gonzalez in the third round.

The two-ton elephant lurking at the tennis venue in Greece: the 2004 U.S. Open.

It is hard enough to win a Grand Slam, which requires playing in seven matches over 14 days. But, what about winning the Olympic singles event (with six emotionally draining matches), then flying to New York, taking a few days off, then trying to navigate seven even more difficult head-to-heads? Impossible, most experts believe. Keep an eye next week on Chile's Nicolas Massu, the gold medalist in both singles and doubles. Chances are, he won't have much left.

So, did Federer and Roddick take their feet off the gas and, with an eye to the Open, take a little down time? After his loss, Roddick was asked how important the Olympics were in the minds of the players.

"With each player, it's personal how big it is," Roddick said. "Some guys really don't care that much. I cared a lot.

"It's not the biggest thing in our sport, but it's the biggest thing in sports."

The answer seemed to suggest that maybe, just possibly, the two best male players in tennis were looking ahead to the season's final Grand Slam. Certainly, they have played -- more matches than any of the other players.

Federer, 57-5 coming in with an ATP-leading seven titles, admitted in Athens that he was suffering from mental burnout. Roddick is 58-11 with four titles. The 2004 season is starting to look remarkably like the 2003 season. Roddick tore up the summer circuit, won his first Grand Slam by taking the U.S. Open and closed in a blur to take the No. 1 ranking. After losing to Federer in the Wimbledon final, Roddick played the three big summer hardcourt events in Indianapolis, Toronto and Cincinnati. He won Indianapolis, defeating Nicolas Kiefer in the final, lost to Federer in the Toronto final, then made the semifinals in Cincinnati before losing to eventual champion Andre Agassi. That's a 14-2 record -- against the best players in the game -- in the three weeks leading up to the Olympics. Federer, for his part, skipped Indianapolis and checked out in the first round of Cincinnati, losing to Dominik Hrbaty, the week after he won Toronto.

If Federer and Roddick reach the U.S. Open final, it does not bode well for the American who turns 22 on the first day in Flushing, N.Y.

Getty ImagesIf he could win only one tournament this year, Andy Roddick said he wanted it to be the Olympics.

In the end, Roddick's record-breaking serve could be the difference-maker. Not only can he blister the first offering in excess of 150 miles an hour, he is routinely hitting his second serve in the 120s -- the speed of most players' first serve. For his double trouble in Athens, Massu received two gold medals. He did not earn a dime -- officially, anyway. While the No. 1 ranking is definitely a stretch for Roddick -- he trails Federer by a daunting margin in this year's standings -- there is some serious cash on the line. The winner on Sept. 12 will receive at least $1 million, plus possible additional incentives from the fledgling U.S. Open Series.

While seemingly disappointed after his loss in Athens, Roddick was philosophical.

"I'm gutted right now," he told reporters. "It's not every day we get to play this. You can't say, 'Next year.'

"Right now, I'm looking forward. I've got a pretty big tournament coming up."

Precisely.

Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

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Greg Garber

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Greg Garber joined ESPN in 1991 and provides reports for NFL Countdown and SportsCenter. He is also a regular contributor to Outside the Lines and a senior writer for ESPN.com.