Two-time former finalist Andy Roddick passed a tricky test from Austrian Jurgen Melzer 7-6(2), 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-3 Saturday to progress to the Wimbledon fourth round for the fifth time.
The American, who finished runner-up to Roger Federer in back-to-back Wimbledon finals in 2004-05, has looked fallible on occasions this week and was extended to four sets for the third time this tournament – having also dropped the third set in his opening two wins against Jeremy Chardy and Igor Kunitsyn.
Roddick had only dropped two sets in eight previous wins over Melzer, but Centre Court fans who expected the appetiser to the feast of the day to be a straightforward encounter were left gripped as the Austrian pushed Roddick to the last ball prior to home hope Andy Murray taking centre stage.
After Roddick had clinched the first two sets on consecutive tie-breaks, Melzer broke serve for the first time in the match midway through the third set and gave Roddick more food for thought as he cut the deficit to two-sets-to-one. The American looked to have regained control of the match when he earned a break advantage in the fourth set, but Melzer refused to concede and frustrated Roddick as he broke back in the seventh game. Roddick was quickly reprieved though, immediately regaining his break of serve before serving out victory after two hours and 53 minutes.
Assessing his performance, Roddick said: "Considering the way he served the first two sets, I was glad to get through with a two-set lead. I was having trouble getting a read on it. I played him a lot of times. That's the best he's served against me. Like the other two matches, I wish I could have converted on a chance in the third set. But probably hit the ball my best in the fourth again."
The 26-year-old Roddick is looking to win his second major singles title after claiming the 2003 US Open with victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero. The former World No. 1 added to his illustrious trophy cabinet with a title at Memphis (d. Stepanek) earlier in the season and has a 36-8 match record on the season.
In the fourth round Roddick will meet Czech Tomas Berdych, against whom he has a 2-2 head-to-head record - with Berdych winning their most recent encounter on hard court in Tokyo last year. "Berdych is streaky. It's rarely middle of the road. He's either really good or not so good," said Roddick. "Right now you expect to get the best of him with the way he's been rolling through the tournament so far."
Another former World No. 1, Lleyton Hewitt, continued his impressive run through the draw with a 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-3 victory over German Philipp Petzschner to set up a fourth-round clash with Czech Radek Stepanek. The Australian, who ousted No. 5-ranked Juan Martin del Potro in the previous round, was cheered on by raucous Fanatics on Court 2 as he saved all three break points he faced – while converting three of 12 opportunities on Petzschner’s serve – to wrap up victory in two hours and 27 minutes.
It was Hewitt’s second win over Petzschner, whom he beat on clay in Munich in April to clinch his 500th tour-level singles victory.
The 28-year-old Hewitt, who underwent surgery on his left hip last August, won the second of his two Grand Slam singles titles at Wimbledon in 2002 – with victory over David Nalbandian in the final. The right-hander, who also has five further grass-court titles to his name, is through to the Wimbledon fourth round for the sixth straight year; he lost to Roger Federer at that stage last year.
“I guess when you're at the top of your game and you're No. 1 in the world, you kind of take it for granted, round of 16s of slams,” said Hewitt. “When you're unseeded, it's not always that easy to get the easy draw to come through the round of 16 and make the second week of these kind of majors. That's what's pleasing this week, is to come through and do it against worthy opponents. To not drop a set so far is nice, as well.”
Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero will take on eighth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon for a place in the quarter-finals after both advanced in contrasting circumstances on Saturday.
Ferrero, one of five Grand Slam champions remaining in the singles draw, battled past 10th-seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the fourth time. The former World No. 1, who was a semi-finalist at the Queen’s Club (l. to Murray) two weeks ago, posted his best result at SW19 in 2007 - when he reached the quarter-finals (l. to Federer).
The 29-year-old Ferrero will take on Simon for the first time after the Frenchman cruised past Romanian No. 31 seed Victor Hanescu 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. The 24-year-old Simon, who fell in his first third-round effort at Wimbledon last year, struck 45 winners to just 15 unforced errors and saved all five break points he faced to seal victory in only 87 minutes.(From Website : http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2009/06/Wimbledon-Saturday-Roddick-Passes-Melzer-Test.aspx)
