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Andy Roddick, the hard-serving kid from Nebraska who won this U.S. Open nine years ago, turns 30 on Thursday.

Asked in an on-court interview after Tuesday's first-round victory what he wanted for his birthday, Roddick answered, "I just want to be around until the next week. Then we'll renegotiate."

For so long -- even in non-tennis circles -- 30 was a daunting line of demarcation. Well, good news, tennis fans: Three decades is no longer a death sentence.

In fact, 30 is the new 25.

• The No. 1 men's seed, Roger Federer, is 31 years old. His six titles lead all players this year; 11 titles have gone to 30-and-over players. Last year the number was five. The favorite among women, Serena Williams, was born less than two months later than the Swiss champion.

• At this year's French Open, 37 players in the men's draw were 30 years or older, the most in Open era history. A decade ago the number was 11. And there was quality in that quantity: Eight of the 32 seeds were 30-somethings. Each of this year's Grand Slams set a record for most 30-and-over players. On the women's side, 15 30-somethings at Roland Garros set an Open era record. Then there were 16 at Wimbledon.

"I think you have to be a fully grown human to deal with kind of the ins and outs of the physical grind," Roddick said. "I think that's probably why you're seeing what you see now. I mean, you have to kind of be able to kind of take a beating week in and week out.