Andy Roddick's match-winning 'miracle shot'
The tennis star scores a hard-fought victory with a diving stab that is being hailed as one of the greatest shots ever
The video: On match point of a seesaw tournament final against up-and-comer Milos Raonic last weekend, Andy Roddick hit an improbable winner that he described as "the best shot I've ever hit in my life." After Roddick ripped a strong backhand up the line, Raonic followed with a sharply angled forehand volley into the open court, which looked to be a point-ender — until Roddick scrambled to reach it, extending into a fully outstretched dive to push the ball past Raonic and win the match and the tournament. After a stunned Roddick scraped himself off the asphalt, he collected his third straight ATP 500 Masters event win and his 30th career title.
The reaction: This was "one of the greatest shots in tennis history," says John Branston at The Memphis Flyer. Even the grounds crew reacted with awe: "Notice how the ballboy's open-mouthed 'I don't believe it' expression matches Roddick's expression." After hitting the shot, Roddick said, as quoted by ATPWorldTour.com, "I didn’t really think much of it. Then I heard people cheering. I was like, 'No, there's no way that went in.' I guess it did." See Roddick's diving winner:
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