American star set to alter his ways after another season of pain

SHANGHAI - When you get older, sometimes it's better to listen more to your body than your mind.

And that's what Andy Roddick has learned after nearing the end of an injury-plagued season.

"I'm going to have to work a little bit smarter. I think, as you get older, you need that time," Roddick said of a possible adjustments to his training regimen after being defeated by Spaniard David Ferrer, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (2) in the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters.

Roddick, who says he is "very aggressive" in the gym during the offseason, has found his body can't withstand the same training intensity he used during his day.

"I think I'm going to have to go against my nature and try not to get it all done in one day every day," said Roddick, who has followed legend Jim Courier's advice to cut back his four-a-day workouts.

The American former world No 1 enjoyed a surge in form early in the season after reaching the final of his season-opening tournament in Brisbane and won his 30th ATP title in Memphis afterwards.

However, injuries struck and he reached only one major final when the clay season started.

The 29-year-old pulled out of the French Open due to a shoulder injury, which also halted him in the third round at Wimbledon. After returning to action, Roddick tore an oblique muscle, which forced him to quit the Rogers Cup and dragged his ranking before the US Open to its lowest point, No 21, since 2001.

"It's been, I think, the toughest year I've had. I'm going to probably have to adjust how I go about things a little bit more," said Roddick. "Running myself into a wall. I don't know that I can do that without getting hurt. It's happened numerous times this year. I might have to work smarter from now on."

Coming through the Asian season, Roddick feels thrilled to have recovered physically and mentally after four quality matches at the Shanghai event.

"I wasn't too pleased with my effort last week (in Beijing). Here, I played OK for the first two days, probably a little bit better yesterday and today. He (Ferrer) played pretty well and definitely was tough to beat. But I'm tough to beat too," said Roddick.

Currently ranked No 16, Roddick will play this month's indoor tournament in Basel and the Paris Masters in November to chase a spot in the ATP World Tour Finals in London, where the world's top eight will slug it out.

Roddick shrugged off the debate about cutting the ATP calendar.

"I do need an offseason to build up because it's tough to recover and be where you need to be as far as fitness and everything else is concerned," he said.