Sunday, the many lives of A-Rod increased by one.
While the more famous -- or infamous -- A-Rod, a.k.a. Alex Rodriguez, was enjoying a day off while his New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-8 for their 10th win in 11 outings, his moniker received a huge boost in a different sport played on grass overseas.
A rejuvenated Andy Roddick nearly pulled off the unthinkable -- preventing Roger Federer from claiming an unprecedented 15th Grand Slam title. At Wimbledon, of all places.
Alas, Federer was too much Federer in the end of an epic 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14 victory in the Wimbledon final. So a tell-all book on this A-Rod will have to wait.
Federer, the Swiss Army of One, endured the longest fifth set in Wimbledon finals history en route to his sixth trophy in England, one short of Pete Sampras and William Renshaw.
Roddick, meanwhile, could be on his way to accomplishing something really big.
The talented but perhaps underachieving Omaha, Neb., native has been the United States' best hope for a tennis great since the retirements of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003 and was ranked No. 1 in the world to finish the year, but has not achieved that kind of success since -- mostly due to Federer's rise.
When Rafael Nadal became Federer's main rival in 2006, it seemed as if Roddick's chance at greatness was over and American tennis was about to enter a dark period with no one really capable of challenging Nadal or Federer in the forseeable future.
Roddick was bounced out of the second round at Wimbledon last year, and the defeat probably was the best thing to happen to his career.
He rededicated himself to the sport, losing weight and getting in better shape. The culmination of his yearlong efforts were on display Sunday against a man who not only was destined for history but also owned an 18-2 record against him coming into the match.
Federer's championship mettle proved to be the difference -- facing four set points against him in the second-set tiebreak and reeling off six unanswered points to avoid a two-set deficit and refusing to yield during the fourth hour of play by breaking Roddick to win the match -- Federer's first break of serve the entire day.
Other than that, A-Rod matched him shot for shot for five sets on tennis' biggest stage.
Now the big question for Roddick is: Can he build upon Sunday's performance? A-Rod played the best tennis match of his life but lost. Will he use the loss as motivation to sustain his drive toward regaining No. 1?
Or will the defeat be a crushing blow to his emotional makeup that sends him back to the pack?
The U.S. has been in dire need of a hero since Sampras and Agassi retired. The sport has become almost a fringe activity across the country, its popularity arguably falling below that of poker and competitive eating.
Roddick's effort at Wimbledon won't be enough by itself to rekindle an American passion for tennis, but it's a heckuva start. If no-longer-raggedy Andy can build upon his play there -- and absorb the experience of playing again for Grand Slam championships, he likely will not lose another tiebreak when he has four set points in his pocket.
Then, he might not even have to get to a fifth-set marathon to win his next major.
Likewise, Roddick's work in restoring the popularity of tennis in the U.S. is off to a roaring start. The heavy lifting is near completion. If he can get over the hump -- a big if when Nadal returns to form after he recovers from a knee injury -- America will follow.
It's a big burden for the more slender Roddick to bear. His game is restored.
The coming months will tell whether his mental makeup is up to the task.
Such is the life of a man nicknamed "A-Rod."
Keywords: Alex Rodriguez, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Wimbledon
