NEW YORK — A fit of temper by Andy Roddick triggered the service motion that now delivers one of the most formidable shots in tennis.
"It wasn't always big," he said. "One day in practice, when I was probably 16, I was getting mad in practice. I just kind of walked up to the line and tried to hit the ball as hard as I could, just out of anger, and the ball went in. And I did it three or four more times and the serve was pretty good, and that's what happened."
On the strength of 130-mph serves, complemented by booming groundstrokes and poise uncommon for an 18-year-old, Roddick has climbed to 18th in the rankings. A favorable draw gives him a chance to make a big splash at the U.S. Open, beginning with a first-round match Tuesday or Wednesday against Slava Dosedel.
"He's pretty much the future of the game," said Australian Wayne Arthurs, who lost to Roddick at Washington earlier this month. "I hate to think what tennis is going to be like in 10 years with all these kids watching and imitating him."
Roddick's serve already ranks among the most feared in tennis. He's the first American teen-ager in the top 20 since Michael Chang in February 1992, and he's rising rapidly.
The Omaha, Neb., native, who lives in Boca Raton, Fla., made his Grand Slam debut at the Open a year ago and lost to Albert Costa in the first round.
"I was just happy to be getting the chance to even participate," he says. "I definitely feel like I belong there a little bit more now."
Roddick has an excellent chance to reach at least the quarterfinals, and most of the top title contenders — former champions Andre Agassi, Pat Rafter and Marat Safin — are in the other half of the draw.
Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriati are the leading contenders for the women's crown. Former champions Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams could also pose a threat.
Roddick, who turns 19 on Thursday, won his third tournament title of the year at Washington this month, and he has already shown he's at ease on the Grand Slam stage. Despite cramping in the final two sets, he slammed 37 aces to beat Michael Chang at the French Open and won his debut on Wimbledon's Centre Court before losing to eventual champion Goran Ivanisevic.
"I want to play well, and if someone is going to beat me, I want to make sure they play well," Roddick says. "For example, Goran at Wimbledon, he just played too good."
Roddick still lives with his parents and doesn't even own a car. But with his flashy game and mature attitude, he's showing signs of fulfilling predictions that he'll be the next great American in men's tennis.
At Key Biscayne in March, Roddick beat Pete Sampras, who barely avoided getting hit in the face by one blistering serve. Roddick earned his first win over a No. 1 player when he beat Gustavo Kuerten in Montreal earlier this month.
He's the first American teen to win three tournaments in a year since Sampras won four in 1990. And with each victory, Roddick draws more comparisons to players from the previous generation.
"It's flattering, and it feels good," he says. "But at the same time, I know I'm nowhere near Agassi, Sampras, Chang or anywhere near what they've accomplished in their careers, so I still have a long ways to go. . . .
"But if I don't make it as big as Pete and Andre — which I probably won't, considering they're two of the greatest ever — it's not going to be because of lack of hard work or effort on my part."