Mononucleosis blamed for Roddick's struggles

Cincinnati :

Andy Roddick has been struggling with a mild case of mononucleosis, the US standout said Saturday after a practice ahead of next week's ATP Cincinnati Masters.

Roddick said last week after a third-round loss on Washington that he was not feeling well and he withdrew from this week's Toronto Masters to discover what was wrong.

Roddick said he underwent blood tests to determine the cause of his lethargy and was told by doctors that one of the tests showed he was suffering from mononucleosis and probably had been for the past couple of months.

Mardy Fish snapped a seven-year win drought against Roddick in the Atlanta semi-finals last month while Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun sent Roddick out in a fourth-round upset at Wimbledon in late June.

The prognosis was that Roddick was just about over the condition entering the final major hardcourt tuneup event ahead of the US Open, which begins August 30 in New York.