Roddick wins to advance at Australian Open
By John Pye (Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-21 09:26

In a highly hyped showdown between the two biggest servers in tennis, Andy Roddick anticipated exactly what Greg Rusedski would offer. And Roddick pounded out a 6-0, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory Thursday to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

Andy Roddick of the U.S. makes a backhand return during his second round match against Britain's Greg Rusedski on Rod Laver Arena at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2005. [AP]

"I felt like I was seeing the ball from early on," Roddick said, "and I tried not to second-guess it."

The second-seeded Roddick owns the record for fastest serve, at 155 mph, and led the men's circuit in aces the last two seasons. He slammed 11 aces against Rusedski.

But the big difference in the match was Roddick's returns. He hit winners with almost as much speed as they had coming off Rusedski's racket.

So has Rusedski's serve lost its zing?

"No, not at all," said Roddick, who shared the record for the fastest serve with Rusedski until twice breaking the mark last season. "My returns normally aren't that good — I couldn't believe it.

"You always want to return like that. It was just clicking for me."

With the exception of one bad game, Roddick gave top-ranked Roger Federer something to think about with a nearly flawless performance. The 2003 U.S. Open champion, now working with new coach Dean Goldfine, committed only eight unforced errors and dropped serve just once.

No. 3 Lleyton Hewitt did more running, coming back from a set and a break down to beat James Blake 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-0, 6-3. Blake's fortunes turned when he cut his racket hand at the end of the second set.

Venus Williams continued to play well in her bid to return to the top of the game, beating China's Peng Shuai 6-3, 6-1, while No. 1-ranked Lindsay Davenport and No. 3 Anastasia Myskina both had nervous moments before advancing.

Davenport appeared to be still overcoming bronchitis that restricted her buildup before earning a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over 99th-ranked Michaela Pastikova.

"I just wasn't ready to be at my very best at the beginning," Davenport said. "She caught me on the back foot."

Myskina had problems with her serve and trailed 3-1 in the first set, but regained control in a four-game streak and then didn't face a break point in the second set while ousting No. 114 Tzipora Obziler 6-4, 6-2.

Myskina next plays 25th-seeded Lisa Raymond, who last year upset Williams in the third round en route to the Australian Open quarterfinals.

Roddick, meanwhile, will face a third straight left-hander in Austria's Jurgen Melzer.

One poorly played game cost Roddick the second set against Rusedski, the runner-up at the 1997 U.S. Open: He started and ended the eighth game with double-faults. Before that, Roddick hadn't lost a point on serve in the second set.

Rusedski served out at love next game, leveling at one set apiece with an ace. That was as close as he got.

Rusedski lost 10 of 11 of his first net approaches, but finished at just over 50 percent — 43 of 83 attempts. He figured he wouldn't beat the young American from the baseline.

"I tried to stick in there any which way I could," Rusedski said. "At one set all, I had a few chances, but I didn't play enough returns and didn't serve well enough. I just wasn't good enough."

Hewitt weathered Blake's opening barrage, then cranked up his own serve and groundstrokes to set up a third-round match against 25th-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela, one of the four Argentineans advancing Thursday. The others were French Open finalist Guillermo Coria, No. 9 David Nalbandian and No. 12 Guillermo Canas.

Seventh-seeded Tim Henman and former top-ranked Juan Carlos Ferrero also advanced in straight sets.

Blake was one point from a two-set lead over Hewitt before he unraveled.

After failing when he served for the second set at 6-5, he clubbed two service returns into the net to give Hewitt a set point at 7-6 in the tiebreaker.

Blake smacked a backhand winner with his a service return to level at 8-8, then mimicked Hewitt's trademark celebration — pointing his fingers at his face and screaming "Come on!"

Hewitt won the next two points, the second when Blake's desperate tumbling shot landed long. Blake lost his racket in the fall, cutting the webbing between two fingers on his right hand. He regained his feet as if to play the rest of the point without his racket.

Hewitt broke to open the third set, starting a six-game winning steak.

"There was a lot of momentum swings out there," Hewitt said. "Things fell my way towards the end."

For Blake, just getting back onto the circuit was important. Almost pulling a shocking win over Hewitt would have been a bonus.

The American broke his neck in May crashing into the net during a practice session in Rome. His father died of cancer in July. And Blake was sidelined by an illness called Zoster — a form of the shingles that impaired his sight and hearing and temporarily paralyzed half of his face.

"I've obviously had some tragedies, some unfortunate situations but, to look at the big picture, I'm a lucky person," Blake said. "The worst thing that happened to me all day is I lost a tennis match."

Close

Australian Open: Li Na beat Shinobu Asagoe Tennis star: Maria Sharapova Real, Valladolid come to goaless draw

Today's Top News     Top Sports News
Space mission set: two to orbit in Shenzhou-VI         Hostage release sought: Iraqi VP         China, Canada sign energy agreements         FM spokesman: 'China a victim of terrorism'         Bush takes oath of office for second term         Online gambling sees 600 arrested	Yao leads Shaq in NBA All-Star balloting       Sun Jihai eyes new Man City contract       LeBron is youngest to get triple-double       Federer, Williams through at Australian Open       Real try to look on bright side of Cup defeat       Man Utd end Exeter fairytale