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Rediff.com  » Sports » Roddick eases into Indianapolis quarters

Roddick eases into Indianapolis quarters

July 26, 2007 15:23 IST
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Top seed and two-times champion Andy Roddick moved into the last eight of the Indianapolis Championships with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Russia's Evgeny Korolev on Wednesday.

The fifth-ranked American, who now has an 18-2 record in Indianapolis, continued his good form at the event that has seen him reach at least the quarter-finals in the last five years.

He won the title in 2003 and 2004, was a quarter-finalist in 2005 and a finalist last year.

Roddick was not happy with his serve during the match -- his first serve percentage was a low 53 percent -- but he was happy that his baseline game made up for the weakness of his biggest weapon.

"The serve wasn't great, but I think I'm playing really well from the baseline," Roddick said. "I feel like I'm moving well and I'm in pretty good shape.

"If my serve is off I think that's the better problem for me to have than the rest of my game. I feel pretty confident that the serve will come around with matches."

The 80th-ranked Korolev hung with Roddick through the first seven games of the match before losing his serve in the eighth game of the first set.

CANADIAN JOY

Although Roddick struggled with his serve in the final game of the opening set -- he saved one break point at 30-40 -- he held on to take a one-set lead.

"I don't think it was discouraging (that game) because he was coming up with good shots," Roddick said.

In the second set, Roddick seemed to gain momentum by breaking Korolev's serve in the opening game.

Roddick next plays sixth-seeded South Korean Lee Hyung-taik, who defeated Paul Goldstein of the United States 6-3 6-3.

Earlier, Frank Dancevic became the first Canadian in six years to reach an ATP Tour quarter-final with a 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 victory over Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina.

The 109th-ranked Dancevic only learned on Friday that he would make it into the main draw.

"I was the last man in here, it was a last minute thing and I'm very excited to be in my first quarter-final," the 22-year-old told reporters.

"To be honest I don't know how I won today because I was behind the whole match.

"He was serving well and returning well but I just kept digging-in in the second set."

The last Canadian to achieve at least a quarter-final berth at an ATP tournament was Sebastian Lareau, who reached the semi-finals of the 2001 Memphis tournament.

"Everything about this week makes me feel pretty good," said Dancevic, who will play Igor Kunitsyn of Russia next.

Kunitsyn had an easy passage to the quarter-finals when fourth-seeded American Mardy Fish retired with a knee injury when the Russian was leading 6-4.

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Source: REUTERS
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