New York - Andy Roddick is starting to look like a planning genius as his decision to skip the Beijing Olympic Games in favour of preparing for the US Open pays off. The eighth seed is to play a quarter-final for the third-straight year after crushing Fernando Gonzalez Tuesday with ease.
But the American was skeptical whether his performance in New York stemmed from his decision to stay away from Beijing.
"I don't know if it was the right one or not," said the 26-year-old who won the home trophy in 2003.
"I'm certainly not going to give the credit for me playing well here to not going to the Olympics," he added. "I played like crap while the Olympics were going on."
Roddick's losing final in Los Angeles to Juan Del Potro and a Washington quarter-final did not instill much confidence in the former number one.
"I certainly didn't have any momentum coming off of Washington," he said.
"But more than anything, I had a full week to prepare here for the first time in a long time, and I think that helped," he said.
Roddick has dropped just one set in four matches so far as he heads into a contest against 2007 finalist Novak Djokovic.
******************** NOTEBOOK: Regal Nadal gets award from royalty
New York - Rafael Nadal has played like tennis royalty this season. Now the Spaniard has the award to prove it after receiving Spain's Prince of Asturias prize for sport.
Nadal, top seed at the US Open, was praised by the jury for his "commitment to the most noble sports values both in and outside of the court" as well as work with the underprivileged through his charitable foundation.
Nadal has won eight titles in 2008, including the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal. The award carries a prize of 50,000 euros (73,000 dollars) plus a commissioned Joan Miro sculpture.
Last year, former German Formula One driver Michael Schumacher received the honour.
