Roddick opens hardcourt campaign with battling win

Enlarge Photo Andy Roddick of the U.S. returns a shot against Nicolas Mahut of France at the... Slideshow: Day in pictures: July 22

Wed, Jul 23 06:32 AM

By Steve Keating

TORONTO (Reuters) - American Andy Roddick launched his hardcourt campaign on Tuesday with a battling 6-1 6-7 6-3 second round win over Nicolas Mahut in the Toronto Masters.

Back in action for the first time since a second round loss at Wimbledon, Roddick had looked eager to make quick work of the Frenchman as dark clouds gathered above centre court.

But after overwhelming Mahut in an opening set interrupted for 30 minutes by a rain delay, the world number six was unable to carry any momentum into the second as the 26-year-old Frenchman fought back to level the match in a tie-break 8-6.

In the third set, Roddick was quickly back to his dominating form, the 2003 Toronto champion breaking Mahut at the first opportunity on way to a 3-0 lead then closing out the match with his 18th ace.

"I thought I moved well and most importantly I felt well physically," said Roddick, who has been hampered by a sore right shoulder. "Physically I feel good for the first time since our Davis Cup tie in April (against France).

"Hopefully my problems are behind me and I can play good tennis again.

"I've played four matches in three months but I felt good today and I felt like I hit the ball."

Frenchman Gilles Simon continued to ride the momentum from his championship win at Indianapolis on Sunday by crushing 18-year-old American qualifier Donald Young 6-1 6-3.

Simon's reward will be a second round meeting on Wednesday with world number one and two-time Canadian champion Roger Federer of Switzerland.

After a first round bye, French Open and Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal also learned the identity of his first opponent when American qualifier Jesse Levine stopped Canadian wildcard Peter Polansky 6-2 6-4.

Czech 16th seed Tomas Berdych cruised into the second round with a 6-3 6-1 win over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.

In a battle of two of the tour's more experience players, Germany's Tommy Haas swept past former world number one Carlos Moya of Spain 6-3 6-2 in just 54 minutes.

It marked the 11th meeting between the two journeymen but the first since 2002 with Haas stealing a 6-5 advantage.

World number three Novak Djokovic of Serbia is scheduled to open the defence of his Toronto title later on Tuesday when he takes on home favourite Frank Dancevic.

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