Roddick and Schalken to put fire tragedy behind in today’s clash

AMERICAN second seed Andy Roddick faces an emotional Wimbledon quarter-final today against Dutchman Sjeng Schalken, the man whose life he helped save from a fatal hotel fire. 

Roddick won widespread praise for his cool head when a fire broke out at the players' hotel at the Rome Masters in May. 

As he helped usher guests to safety, the 21-year-old also came to Schalken's aid when the 27-year-old Dutchman and his wife Ricky were stranded in the room above him on the seventh floor of the Parco dei Principi Hotel in the Italian capital. 

They leapt down onto to Roddick's balcony, where the American caught them, and waited for the firemen to reach them. 

Roddick also helped others to safety in the blaze which claimed the lives of three people. 

“I think there is a special bond between us,” admitted Roddick who booked his place in the last eight for the second successive year with a 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 win over Germany's Alexander Popp on Monday. 

“There's always something there when you share an experience that's pretty traumatic.  

“I don't know what that bond is but there's something a little different there.” 

Roddick, who has tried to play down his role in the drama, admitted that it took him some time to fully recover from the incident and get his mind back on to tennis. 

“It rattled me for a week,” he said.  

“Rome was probably the first time in my life when I was out on a court and I couldn't care less if I won or lost.  

“I wanted to go home and see my family.” 

Schalken said: “I hope he takes it easy on me – he certainly hasn't the last three times we have played,” said the 27-year-old who clinched a 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Vince Spadea on Monday. – AFP