Sports / Tennis |
Improving Roddick eyes further progress(Reuters)Updated: 2007-01-18 09:05 Sixth seed Andy Roddick set up a mouthwatering third-round clash with former champion Marat Safin when he cruised past Frenchman Marc Gicquel 6-3 7-6 6-4 at the Australian Open on Wednesday. The big-serving American had too much power from the back of the court for the world number 54 and came through on Rod Laver Arena after an hour and 56 minutes. An early break took Roddick to the opening set and he held his nerve to win the second set tiebreak 7-4. Gicquel, who out-aced his rival 10-7, battled in the third but was broken in game 10 to hand the former U.S. Open champion victory. The 24-year-old said his game was gradually improving after coming through his first-round match against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four long sets on Monday. "I thought I hit the ball a little better, hit the ball a little more solid," Roddick told reporters. "Today I was putting myself in better positions on the court, but I still could have executed a little better," said Roddick, who hit 22 unforced errors to his opponent's 19. Roddick must now quickly turn his attention to an enticing third-round match-up with Safin, the 2005 champion who only progressed on Wednesday courtesy of a second five-setter this week. The two last met when Safin beat Roddick to help Russia into last year's Davis Cup final, and the American said he had been prepared to face the 2005 champion. "When I saw the draw I expected to play Marat. I think we're both better than a third-round match-up but that's the way it shakes out." Their career meetings stand at 3-3, but Safin enjoyed a five-set victory against Roddick in the 2004 semi-final at Melbourne Park before falling to Roger Federer at the final hurdle. "We've always had close matches. We're kind of similar, we both like to hit a big ball, we both serve pretty big, move well for being considered big guys. "I think it's an interesting match-up for us and maybe for the fans as well.
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