Roddick bends but doesn't break

2008-07-23 07:44

Toronto - Former champion Andy Roddick had to work harder than expected to suppress an upset bid from France's Nicolas Mahut with a 6-1 6-7 (6/8) 6-3 second-round win on Tuesday at the Toronto Masters.

The 2003 winner showed some signs of rust as he competed for the first time in nearly a month following a second-round loss at Wimbledon, which was followed by more work to rehab a right shoulder injured two months ago in Rome.

"I feel good for the first time since probably we finished our Davis Cup tie in April," said the sixth seed who won the Canadian title in 2003.

"I'm starting again. I had some really good wins and then got hurt. I probably tried to come back a little sooner than I should have.

"I might have played decent at Wimbledon, had I been prepared. But I went there kind of hoping, and I knew I was doing that. It's unfortunate, but I've been pretty lucky.

"I've been out here eight years and never had a problem with the shoulder," he said.

Roddick, seeded sixth, booked the first spot in the third round after a bye, paving the way for the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and holder Novak Djokovic, seeded third. He improved to 22-5 in Canada.

Momentum

The American fired 18 aces and saved all five break points he faced while breaking three times in one hour, 50 minutes.

In first-round play, Frenchman Gilles Simon maintained his championship momentum from Indianapolis as he squeezed in a 6-1 6-3 win before lightning briefly interrupted matches.

Officials were taking no chances as they called contests off court shortly after the number 22 beat American teenage qualifier Donald Young 6-1 6-3.

German Tommy Haas, a quarter-finalist last week at the Indianapolis event where he ended with a loss to eventual champion Simon, was another early winner.

The 30-year-old German beat Spain's Carlos Moya 6-3 6-2.

Haas underwent a third operation on his right shoulder seven months ago and reached the last eight in Indianapolis four days ago.

If the shoulder says at one stage there's no more "I'll have to deal with that," said the 30-year-old.

Threatening conditions

"Its already tried it three times and I'm still here, so its still pretty good."

Simon rolled through in less than an hour in the threatening conditions a day after arriving from Indianapolis and the scene of his fourth career title, which he won over Dmitry Tursunov.

The 23-year-old will face a huge test on Wednesday as he plays against Federer, with the Swiss determined to begin regaining the superiority that slipped when he was beaten in the Wimbledon final by Nadal.

Simon broke Young five times in the brief affair to win his sixth match in a row.

"I just hope I can take my chances against Roger," said the winner. "I've never played him before and of course he is the favourite."

Local hero Frank Dancevic, a quarter-finalist at Montreal a year ago and a first-round winner over Mario Ancic, was awaiting a second-round challenge with defending champion Djokovic later.

Second seed Nadal will face off against Canadian-born American Jesse Levine, a winner over Canada's Peter Polansky 6-2 6-4.

The Spaniard who won Wimbledon over Federer will be playing for the first time this summer on cement as the Beijing Olympics and US Open approach.

"I'm looking forward to playing," said Levine, who is ranked 121 places lower than Nadal. "I always watch him on TV, so it's good to play him on stadium court tomorrow."

Swedish players collected a hat-trick with early first-round wins from Robin Soderling, lucky loser Thomas Johansson and 36-year-old Jonas Bjorkman.

- AFP