With the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals just around the corner, the final 8 are set. In the days leading up to the final tournament of the season, we are going to cover the gear each player is using. Making it into the final 8 by making the semifinals in Basel and the quarterfinals in Paris, Andy Roddick qualified for the 8^th straight year, holding off Fernando Verdasco. Andy Roddick is currently endorsing the Babolat Pure Drive+ Roddick GT, but in actuality is using a frame that is a few generations old. A closer look at Roddick’s racquet will show that he has not changed from his old Babolat Pure Drive+. His frame is weighted differently than the stock model, coming in around 12 ounces, but featuring a balance closer to even balance than the substantial head light balance of the retail model. The Cortex system on Andy’s frames is simply painted on for appearance, as his frame does not have the Cortex insert (he claims it dampens the feel too much for him), as well as it does not contain the GT braiding of the current appearance. Andy Roddick did change strings earlier this year, moving away from his former hybrid of Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour mains with VS Touch natural gut crosses. The crosses remained the same, but he, along with many Babolat players, made the switch to the new Babolat RPM Blast, finding benefit in the additional spin it provides. This was not a huge adjustment as RPM Blast features the same material composition and octagonal shape as Pro Hurricane Tour, but the new black dying and silicone coating result in a string that plays slightly stiffer and with greater spin. Andy uses 16 gauge for both mains and crosses, and he tends to string towards the higher side of the tour. The typical tension for Roddick ranges from about 65 up to 71 pounds, with the polyester mains being lower than the softer natural gut crosses. Roddick wears Lacoste apparel along with his Babolat Propulse 2 shoes. The Propulse 2 shoe features a number of stability enhancing features such as the strap that goes along the back of the ankle as well as across the top of the shoe. Even with the added stability of the shoe itself, Andy also wears ankle braces on both ankles, likely as a precaution given his style of movement. At the Masters event in Paris, Roddick was wearing the Lacoste Super Dry Color Block Polo along with the Lacoste 7 Diamante Drawstring Shorts. There’s our quick look at the equipment and apparel that you will see Andy Roddick using at the upcoming Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. With this year’s field, don’t be surprised to see a few upset victories in the round robin part of the event. Coming up tomorrow will be 7^th ranked David Ferrer, who has moved up 5 spots since the US Open.