Roddick beats Sampras to retain U.S. Clay Court crown

Andy Roddick retained his U.S. Clay Court Championship with a 7-6 (11-9), 6-3 victory over Pete Sampras on Sunday which extended the 13-time Grand Slam winner's title drought to 25 tournaments.

Third seed Roddick became the first player to win back-to-back U.S. Clay Court crowns since Argentine Jose-Luis Clerc in 1980 and 1981.

For Sampras, who scored a straight-sets semifinal win over Andre Agassi on Saturday, it was another frustrating finish to a promising week. He has now gone almost two years since last tasting victory at Wimbledon 2000.

Houston's Westside Tennis Club is a happy hunting ground for Roddick.

Three weeks ago, the 19-year-old led the U.S. to Davis Cup victory over Spain on the club's grass courts, and he has now stretched his record to 10-0 on the Houston clay.

In a dominant performance, Roddick fired 13 aces and only lost 11 points on his delivery in 11 service games.

The only break in a match that lasted one hour and 27 minutes came in the eighth game of the second set when Sampras netted a forehand off a Roddick return.

Sampras had his only break point opportunity in the next game but Roddick pounded a service winner up the middle to see off the 30-year-old's threat, collecting his second title of the season and fifth of his career.