Key Biscane, Miami: World number three Roger Federer suffered a surprise defeat to American Andy Roddick 6-4 6-3 in the Sony Ericsson Open on Monday to end a 16-match winning streak for the Swiss maestro.
Roddick, who has slumped to 34th in the world, had his powerful forehand back to its best and was strong on serve, winning 69 percent of first service points.
The win was Roddick’s first over a top three player since beating Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati in 2010 and his first against Federer since a 2008 win here at Key Biscayne.
The 29-year-old Roddick broke in the third game of the second set to take a grip on the match that he never gave up.
“I had my chances, I thought Andy did well to get the first set and then put me in the situation in the third … he served really well, played aggressive and had a clutch serve when he needed it,” said Federer.
“It was a great night for him and for American tennis, I guess, but it was tough for me. It was a close match that didn’t go my way,” he said.
“I came out a bit flat today, I was a bit tired, I guess, but it was more mental than physical, I think,” added the 16-times grand slam winner.”
Roddick, who has slumped to 34th in the world, had his powerful forehand back to its best and was strong on serve, winning 69 percent of first service points. AFP
Serena Williams produced 20 aces and blasted her way into the quarter-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open with a 7-5 6-3 win over Australian Samantha Stosur on Monday.
It was not all plain sailing for Williams, who lost her first serve of the match but came back to grind out the set in the first meeting between the two players since Stosur beat the American in the 2011 US Open final.
Down 5-2 in the second, Stosur twice saved match point and forced Williams to serve out for the match and although the American trailed 0-40 she booked her spot in the last eight.
Russian Maria Sharapova also booked a place in the quarters with a 6-4 7-6 win over compatriot Ekaterina Makarova despite being broken four times.
Makarova fought particularly hard in the second set but eventually fell 7-3 in the tiebreak.
Sharapova, the runner-up here last year, will face the winner of the match between China’s Li Na and German Sabine Lisicki.
Later on Monday, Venus Williams faces Ana Ivanovic.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic dispatched fellow Serb Viktor Troicki with a 6-3 6-4 win on Monday to move into the fourth round of the Sony Ericsson Open.
The world number one broke Troicki three times en route to his 11th consecutive win against his compatriot to set up a fourth round match against Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
Gasquet, who has been a quarter-finalist in four tournaments so far this year, beat Spain’s Albert Ramos 6-2 5-7 6-3.
Leading American Mardy Fish recovered from being a break down in the first set to defeat 28th ranked Kevin Anderson of South Africa, 6-4 6-3.
Fish advances to face Spain’s 12th seed Nicolas Almagro who played solid tennis, committing just 10 unforced errors in his 6-3 6-4 win over compatriot Fernando Verdasco.
Reuters
