Tuesday, September 5 2006 14:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: Since hiring Jimmy Connors as his new coach, Andy Roddick says the five-time US Open champions' combative nature and competitive instincts are starting to rub off on him.

"It's definitely re-invigorating," Roddick said.

"The passion he brings to the court. It's contagious," he said.

The early returns are in and the Connors-Roddick team is kicking into the high gear at the US Open as Roddick reached the quarter-finals Monday by dismantling Germany's Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Roddick will play the winner of the tie between Australian Lleyton Hewitt and Richard Gasquet of France for a place in the semi-finals.

Roddick won the 2003 US Open title but hasn't done much since which has earned him the tag of 'one major wonder'.

While his tennis has improved in leaps and bounds since coming under the Connors' tutelage a couple months ago, Roddick said it is hard to tell who is getting more out of the union.

"I get the opportunity on a daily basis to have information from one of the greatest players that ever played," Roddick said. "You can't say that too often. There is a lot he's bringing to the table.

"I get the sense that he enjoys being back in the locker room and just kidding around," he said.

"He came to Austin and stayed in one of the upstairs bedrooms. I feel like it has been a while since he's just been one of the boys playing pool, poker and hanging out," he said.

"We'd practice, he'd come back to my place, kick his feet up on my couch and have a beer. It was pretty surreal," he said.

Roddick said Connors gave him an ultimatum when they first started working together. If they didn't click in the first week it wasn't going to be.

"I was anxious when we started working together. I didn't know if it was going to last more than three days because that is kind of what he gave me. I'm glad it has," he said.

Roddick is comfortable asking the eight-time Grand Slam winner Connors anything about tennis but when he tries to draw out the old war stories of facing John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg or Ivan Lendl, the notoriously-private Connors can be a bit reticent.

"He definitely doesn't volunteer much that's for sure," Roddick said.

"I try to bait him because to be honest he doesn't bring it up often," he said.

"I was one of the kids sitting way up in the stands watching him. Every once in awhile I will throw a sky-hook into practice, kind of glance over and he will have a little smirk on his face," he said.