Roddick equals Agassi record

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:22

The world number six saw off his opponent 6-1 6-3 7-6 (7/5) at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Arena in Alabama to help repair the damage of James Blake’s opening defeat to Stanislas Wawrinka.

Wawrinka, ranked 16th in the world, came from a set down to overcome Blake 3-6 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7/3).

Meanwhile, Argentina, who lost to Spain in last year’s final, were made to work harder than expected to take a 2-0 lead against Holland in Buenos Aires.

In the opening encounter Juan Ignacio Chela struggled for nearly four hours before beating Jesse Huta Galung 6-2 2-6 6-2 6-7 (7/4) 6-2.

Juan Monaco overcame a leg injury to take his place and put in a solid display to beat 20-year-old Thiemo de Bakker 6-1 6-2 7-6 (7/1).

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga recorded a 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7/1) win over Radek Stepanek to draw France level at 1-1 in their tie with the Czech Republic in Ostrava.

The home side had taken a surprise lead through Thomas Berdych earlier in the day when he beat world number eight Gilles Simon 7-6 (7/3) 4-6 7-6 (7/2) 6-3.

Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber fought back from two sets down to beat Austria’s Jurgen Melzer 6-7 (7/4) 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-3 and level their tie at 1-1.

Earlier in the day, Stefan Koubek defeated Rainer Schuttler Schuttler 6-4 7-5 5-7 6-2.

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