Date:23/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/23/stories/2003042301072000.htm

Sport - Tennis

Roddick off to a good start

HOUSTON April 22 Second seed Andy Roddick began his bid for a third consecutive U.S. Clay Court Championship title by taking just 51 minutes to defeat fellow American Jeff Morrison 6-3, 6-1 in the first round on Monday.

Roddick became the first player to win back-to-back U.S. Clay Court crowns since Argentine Jose-Luis Clerc in 1980 and 1981 when he defeated Pete Sampras 7-6, 6-3 in last year's final.

Third seed James Blake also went through yesterday with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over German Alexander Waske.

American Blake trailed 4-3 in the second set but won the last three games to clinch his place in the second round.

The results:

Attila Savolt bt Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-2; Kenneth Carlsen bt Thomas Blake 7-6 (5), 6-1;Andy Roddick bt Jeff Morrison 6-3, 6-1; Irakli Labadze bt Brian Vahaly 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3; James Blake bt Alexander Waske 6-4, 6-4; Juergen Melzer bt Taylor Dent 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3; Olivier Mutis bt Hugo Armando 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-1.