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Clay is certainly not Andy Roddick’s favoured surface, and this fact was proved once again in the first round here where he went down in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 to Gilles Simon (photo). While the Frenchman is admittedly one of the best non-seeded players in the draw, big-serving Roddick failed to get into a rhythm and looked all at sea on Centre Court. His service was average and his returns poor, and he constantly found himself lured into the net and then passed with ease.

“He moves very well which you don’t want to see when you are short of matches like I was today, when you are not getting clean hits,” said Roddick of his opponent. “We soon got into rallies and it became a battle, and I was coming second.”

A philosophical Roddick saw the benefit of playing on red dirt, however. “I feel like it is good for me though, even if I struggle moving out here. I feel that my footwork gets much better when I finally get to the grass (after the clay season). No one can just play the surfaces that they like and I think you just have to take your losses.”

This loss does not set him up well for the forthcoming Grand Slam at Roland Garros, again on clay. “Obviously anyone who tells you that they are going into the French with no match play is not telling the truth. That having been said, I have four more matches on clay this year than last year including the Davis Cup before going into the French so I will see. I am going to play in Nice next week and so hopefully I will be able to do something there.”