Roddick to face Stepanek in final

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:20

Roddick snapped a two-match losing streak against Hewitt as the world number six edged the semi-final 2-6 7-6 (7/4) 6-4 victory over Lleyton Hewitt.

Hewitt fired four aces in dominating the first set before Roddick edged the second in the tie-break after neither was able to convert a break.

The decider was on serve until Roddick broke to take a 4-3 lead before serving out the match in two hours and 12 minutes.

Roddick, who also reached the final in Doha at the start of the year before losing to Andy Murray, won in Memphis in 2002 while he also finished runner-up in 2003 and 2007.

In Sunday’s final, Roddick will meet fifth-seeded Czech Stepanek, who advanced with a 6-3 6-1 win over Israeli qualifier Dudi Sela to remain on course for a second title in as many weeks after winning in San Jose last week.

World number 21 Stepanek has not dropped a set all week and needed just 58 minutes to beat Sela after never facing a break point.

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