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Andy Roddick serves against Paradorn
Srichaphan during the Western and Southern Financial Group
Masters tournament at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in
Cincinnati. (Agencies) |
Defending champion Andy Roddick slipped into the quarter-finals of
the 2.4 million-dollar ATP Cincinnati tournament with a surprisingly easy
6-2, 6-3 win over Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan.
"I felt I played okay, but I just thought Paradorn didn't play as well
as he's capable of," said the second-seeded Roddick.
"He definitely had one of those off days. He had a lot of errors."
The 15th-seeded Srichaphan was disappointed with his performance in the
54-minute match.
"I had a hard time out there," said Paradorn, who has now lost five of
six career meetings with Roddick.
"When I lost my serve for the first time in the match, I lost my
confidence."
Roddick, who has now won 24 of his last 26 matches since June, served
at his usual high standard, posting 12 aces, winning 24 of 27 of his first
serve points and 12 of 14 of
his second serve points, and never offered Paradorn a break-point opportunity.
"I feel like I'm playing well," said Roddick, who since June has won
the Queens Club tournament, reached the Wimbledon final, won Indianapolis,
and lost last weeks Toronto final to Roger Federer.
"I've been winning matches the last three weeks, so there is something
there. I think there is some room for improvement."
Agassi, a two-time former champion here, left little doubt that
at 34-years-old he's still able to trounce opponents 10 years his
junior when he sent Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina packing in a 6-3, 6-3 win.
Agassi was in control from the outset of his 62-minute match.
"There are times when you play faster than others," Agassi said. "It
sort of depends on the nature of the match.
"Tonight I felt real good. It's the first match in a long time where I
felt that comfortable with my game."
Agassi broke Chelas serve in the third and ninth games of the first set
and the eighth game of the second set.
If Agassi can get by Carlos Moya in the quarter-finals he will reach
his first semi-final since Indian Wells in March.
Roddick will face wildcard
recipient Tommy Haas of Germany in the quarter-finals. Haas moved into the
quarter-finals after securing a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 win over Robin Soderling of
Sweden.
Both Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski ceased to wave the British flag here
when they went out in third round matches on Thursday.
The fifth-seeded Henman lost a lethargic 6-1, 6-4 encounter against
Lleyton Hewitt, adding to the frustration of his never being able to beat
the Australian in eight career attempts.
The Canadian-born Rusedski, who came through the qualifying tournament,
lost a heartbreaking 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2) encounter to Spaniard Tommy
Robredo.
Frenchman Fabrice Santoro reached his second consecutive quarter-final
with an impressive 6-0, 6-3 third round win over Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden
earlier in the day.
"For me, the second set is more what I was expecting than the way we
played the first because six-love is not something you wait for," Santoro
said.
"If it comes, its great. But I'm not used to winning a set six-love on
the tour."
The 42nd-ranked Santoro reached the quarter-finals in Toronto last week
where he fell to eventual winner Roger Federer.
"Winning a few matches last week helped my confidence," Santoro said.
Beating the 38th-ranked Bjorkman was a novel experience for Santoro,
who had only won one set in three previous matches against the Swede.
Serving well was the key to Santoros victory - he won 19 of 21 points
on his first serve and nine of 11 points on his second serve in the match.
Santoro will try to earn his first victory in four matches against
Robredo in the quarter-finals.
Hewitt will play 14th-seeded Marat Safin, who won a 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 third
round match against Ivo Karlovic of Croatia.
(Agencies) |