Tennis: Roddick rallies to reach third round in Miami
MIAMI (AFP) — Sixth-seeded American Andy Roddick had to rally for a three-set victory over Serbian qualifier Viktor Troicki Saturday to reach the third round of the WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament.
Roddick, a two-time titlist on the ATP Tour already this year, came into the second Masters Series event of the season hoping to improve on his performance in the first - an abrupt second-round exit at Indian Wells last week.
After enjoying a first-round bye, Roddick gave his vocal fans a fright as he dropped the first set before pulling off a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Troicki.
The American, usually dominant on his serve, had less than a 40 percent success rate with his first serve in the opening set.
"I actually don't feel like I hit the ball that badly from the baseline in the first set, but you might as well just play the set with the second serve - it makes things difficult," Roddick said. "And that's really not me.
"I normally have pretty high percentages on my first serve, and I think that's something I normally do well. By the end of the match I think I was flirting with 60 percent, so I think that means I served OK the last two sets," added Roddick, who next plays Czech Ivo Minar.
Minar beat Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
France's Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also advanced in less than impressive fashion, defeating Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-1.
Tsonga booked a meeting with fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau, a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) winner over Croatian Ivo Karlovic.
World number one Roger Federer headlined men's action Saturday, launching his campaign with a second-round contest against France's Gael Monfils.
Federer, slowed early in 2008 by the debilitating effects of mononucleosis, is seeking his first title of the year.
At Indian Wells he was shocked in the semi-finals by unseeded American Mardy Fish.
On the women's side, second-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic, who captured the title in Indian Wells on Sunday, won her opener against France's Emilie Loit 6-1, 6-2.
Seventh-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia also advanced, beating Venezuelan Milagros Sequera 6-2, 6-1.
Two former world number ones, France's Amelie Mauresmo and American Lindsay Davenport moved into the third round.
Mauresmo beat China's Peng Shuai 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2), while Davenport defeated France's Camille Pin 6-2, 6-1 to book her first career meeting with Ivanovic.
