Top-seeded Andy Roddick has withdrawn from this week's Delray Beach Tennis Championships because of flu-like symptoms.
The eighth-ranked American complained of feeling ill before winning the Memphis title over Milos Raonic 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 on Sunday. It was the 30th career title for Roddick, who struggled to overcome mononucleosis throughout the second half of 2010.
“I woke up yesterday and felt like I got hit by a bus,” Roddick said Monday while coughing throughout a press conference at Delray Beach. “I woke up this morning and my bed was soaking wet from sweat. It's just unfortunate timing.
“I honestly don't feel like I can go out there and give it my best. I need to get better before I can play again.”
Fourth-seeded John Isner exited the tournament after being upset by 76th-ranked Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (13).
Isner failed to take advantage of four match points in the final set tiebreaker.
The American helped Gabashvili win the match on his fifth match point in the tiebreaker when he double-faulted away the final point.
Isner was clearly upset by the loss and was not in the mood to answer questions.
“I didn't play well,” he said.
Gabashvili will play the winner of the match between 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina and Richard Berankis of Lithuania.
“In the end he just went for his first serve,” Gabashvili said. “He had four match points he saved, but he just went for it there and in the end it went for me.”
The 28-year-old Roddick made his professional debut at the Delray Beach tournament in 2000, playing about 10 minutes away from his boyhood home in Boca Raton. He hasn't played in the event since 2003.
Roddick's best result at Delray Beach was reaching the final in 2002.
“I'm very disappointed,” he said. “I've waited too long to come back and play this tournament. But with traveling internationally (for Davis Cup) and Palm Springs and Miami coming up on that, it's just unfortunate timing for this sickness.”
Roddick is scheduled to lead the U.S. Davis Cup team into the first round against Chile in Santiago next week. He was planning on heading home to Austin, Texas, to see the doctors who treated him while he had mono.
The top four seeds in the Delray Beach tournament were all Americans, with Roddick followed by 2009 champion Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey and Isner. Qualifier Marinko Matosevic of Australia took Roddick's spot in the draw and will face Dudi Sela of Israel in the first round.
The third-seeded Querrey moved into the second round with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Dustin Brosn of Germany. Querrey, who is also scheduled to head to Chile next week as part of the U.S. Davis Cup team, was concerned about a shoulder problem following his match.
“My shoulder was a little sore so I was lacking some pop on my serve,” he said. “I was just happy to get through it.”
Florent Serra of France defeated American wildcard Ryan Harrison 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in another first round match.
