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Rediff.com  » Sports » Roddick, Haas in Memphis final

Roddick, Haas in Memphis final

February 25, 2007 16:23 IST
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Top seed Andy Roddick and defending champion Tommy Haas will square up in a battle of the hot servers in Sunday's Memphis International final.

Roddick, champion in 2002, beat Scottish teenager Andy Murray 6-3, 7-6 to reach the final while Haas crushed American Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4.

American Roddick has pounded down 56 aces this week, while Haas has yet to even face a single break point. On Sunday, something has to give.

"That is extremely rare," world number 25 Fish said of the Haas statistic after his defeat by the German on Saturday.

"The serve is usually not even the best part of his game. You would think maybe an [Ivo] Karlovic or a Wayne Arthurs type might, but Tommy is serving at a real high percentage and he hits his spots real well."

Haas, who is hoping to become only the second man to win the title three times, after former world number one and Roddick's coach Jimmy Connors, said he is in a good rhythm on his serve.

"I feel like when my first serve goes in, I am not so much under pressure so I can try to dictate play. Any time I can do that, I feel pretty comfortable," he said.

"I don't know if [not having a break point] even happened in the tournaments that I have won," he said.

WEAKEST SURFACE

Roddick and Haas have met eight times, with the German holding a 5-3 advantage, although four of his wins came on clay, the American's weakest surface.

Though his serve has been functioning well, world number four Roddick has battled his way through to the semi-finals without producing his best tennis, something he will have to do to get the better of Haas.

"Tommy is tough," Roddick said. "He's definitely been playing better than me consistently this week.

"We have played a lot. He's got me a bunch of times on clay and I've got him back on hard courts, lately.

"I kind of scraped my way through today and was dodgy in some matches. He's kind of been peaking all week. Lucky for me it's one match and two sets. It'll just come down to a couple of points."

Haas said the Roddick serve is likely to be the key.

"I've played Andy quite a few times now," he said.

"Usually it depends on how Andy serves against me and that plays a big role. He is as competitive as they come."

 

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Source: REUTERS
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