"F**k, I won 32 times, I won 2 out of my last 5 tournaments" - Andy Roddick hits back at 'One Slam Wonder' label

Andy Roddick recently spoke to GQ on carrying the weight of expectations as the top-ranked American tennis player for more than a decade. The 2003 US Open champion alluded to the haughty standards of American tennis fans, as he claimed that even a career as successful as his was not valued enough — leading many fans and pundits to call him a "One Slam Wonder".

Roddick also asserted that even though he won two titles in 2012, it did very little to influence "people's perception" about his skills.

"'One Slam Wonder.' I’m like, ‘F**k, I won 32 times,' I won two out of my last four or five tournaments. What would be a defining moment in someone’s career, it doesn’t matter if I win 10 more of ’em," he said to GQ. "If it’s not a major, it would affect people’s perception zero."

Roddick was referring to his ATP title victories in Eastbourne and Atlanta during his final year as a pro.

The American was in fine form at the former event, which was played on grass as a tune-up to Wimbledon 2012. Having received a last-minute wild card into the main draw, Roddick only dropped one set during the entire tournament (to Fabio Fognini) as he beat 2011 Eastbourne champion Andreas Seppi to win his 31st title on the ATP tour.

Roddick followed the triumph in Eastbourne with another 250-level title in Atlanta a month later, coming from a set down to defeat Gilles Muller in the championship match to win his 32nd and last career title.

The former World No. 1 subsequently convened a press conference a month later on his birthday while competing at the 2012 US Open, to announce that he had decided to retire from professional tennis. He then had a good campaign in New York City as he defeated Fabio Fognini, Bernard Tomic and Rhyne Williams to reach the second week in Flushing Meadows for the ninth time in his career.

Andy Roddick eventually lost to 2009 US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro in the fourth round, thereby bringing a close to his illustrious career.

"Connors, McEnroe, Chang, Courier, Andre, Pete, they were everything to me" - Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi pictured at the US Open

During the interview with GQ, Andy Roddick also spoke about being compared to the likes of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi ever since breaking through as a top player.

The American, who won his first and only Major title at the US Open in 2003, insisted that he always looked up to the past crop of great American players when his motivation was dwindling, as he didn't want to let them down.

“These guys—Connors, McEnroe, Chang, Courier, Andre, Pete. They were everything to me. And so it’s like, ‘It’s on you. Don’t fuck up what they built.’ If I couldn’t replace their tennis, I could somehow keep people in the building," he said to GQ.

In addition to the 2003 US Open, Andy Roddick won five ATP Masters 1000 titles and 26 lower-tier titles during his career. The American also ended the 2003 ATP season as World No. 1 — becoming the first American to do so since Andre Agassi in 1999.