SIDEBAR: Roddick optimistic ankle roll won't rule out Wimbledon

Jun 13, 2009, 16:47 GMT

London - Andy Roddick was quietly optimistic that the rolled ankle which forced him from his Saturday semi-final against James Blake at Queen's club won't hamper his participation at Wimbledon.

But the grass-court Grand Slam at the All England club starting in a week from Monday, the two-time finalist is facing a fitness deadline he had not been expecting.

The American still remains optimistic about his chances of a quick recovery. 'I'm not saying I'm going to be out six weeks or anything like that. We're looking at days, not weeks,' he said.

'I'm going to do everything I can to play at Wimbledon,' he said after preliminary exams from his trainer Doug Spreen and tournament doctors.

'We're scheduled to get it looked at again tomorrow and do some scans on it and see where we're at, but initial tests showed the stability was okay, strength was okay.'

The former number one called his mishap a freak accident during the third game of his opening set with Davis Cup teammate Blake.

'I was just going back after I hit the shot, and there's a difference in height between where the grass court ends and where the concrete goes. I just unfortunately stepped at a bad angle.

'It twisted a little bit. Running straight ahead I was all right; side to side was suspect.'

Roddick said that if he can pull up fit, his chances at Wimbledon should not be compromised.

'If I'm healthy, I don't think it (the injury) will affect it at all. I've gotten in three and a half matches, which is what you're looking for. I felt like I was hitting the ball fine, moving fine, serving really well.'