New York ? His hair spiked and jeans ripped, Andy Roddick strode through Times Square Monday with pop-star girlfriend Mandy Moore.

Passers-by slapped Roddick on the shoulder (he smiled). Or asked him to stop and pose for a photo (he obliged). Or offered congratulations (MTV’s Carson Daly rode by, lowered his car’s tinted window and shouted: “Way to go, Andy!”).

Morning interviews with “Today” and “Regis & Kelly” were behind him. Appearances on ESPN, CNN and David Letterman’s “Late Show” awaited.

It was a whirlwind start to Roddick’s new life as a Grand Slam champion, a day after he beat new No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3, in the U.S. Open final.

“It’s craziness. I would have never imagined what it was like to win a Slam, and I never imagined the aftermath of it, either,” Roddick said.

“Reality’s coming back tomorrow.”

That might not quite be the case. After all, there already were plenty of expectations and eyes on him. Now that will be ratcheted up, which is how it has to be if tennis is going to increase its popularity in the United States.

Pete Sampras is gone, Andre Agassi is 33, and so far none of the young non-American stars (French Open champion Ferrero, Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, 2001 U.S. Open champion Lleyton Hewitt) has shown the combination of charm and charisma that helped Bjorn Borg or Boris Becker draw fans.

Andy Roddick, the new U.S. Open men's tennis champion, holds his trophy in Times Square. Roddick was treated like a hero Monday in New York.

This U.S. Open final produced the event’s lowest TV rating in five years. Is that because people don’t know who Roddick is? There are more likely explanations: A week of rain made for a disjointed event, plus the previous four finals involved Sampras or Agassi or both.

By winning, Roddick quickly began to fulfill what has been predicted for him. His first major title came in his 12th Grand Slam tournament; Agassi, for example, needed 18.

“In America, we have such a long line and tradition of Grand Slam champions, that it’s almost expected. It definitely is a monkey off my back,” Roddick said. “I got sick of hearing it. I’m not going to lie. It was there before I deserved it. … I’ve always had — fair or not fair — attention paid to me. A lot of it was undeserved.”

If anyone is set up to handle what’s ahead, it’s Roddick.

Roddick turned 21 halfway through the U.S. Open, and the signs of his maturity are plenty.

He didn’t take the bait when told second-round foe Ivan Ljubicic ripped his on-court demeanor and said other players didn’t like Roddick. Instead, Roddick said all the right things to the media and called the Croat to hash things out.

And he didn’t panic when he lost the first two sets and faced a match point during his semifinal.