MIAMI, March 23: A year after making his breakthrough at the Nasdaq-100 Open Masters, 10th seed Andy Roddick suffered a break down Friday when he crashed out 6-3 2-6 6-4 in the second round of the $3.5 million tournament to Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela.

But not even three rain delays could distract defending champion Andre Agassi as he began his bid for a fifth Miami Masters title with a clinical 6-3 6-1 victory over Britain’s Greg Rusedski.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Sebastien Gorsjean also opened their accounts in impressive fashion, the Russian third seed disposing of Spain’s Tommy Robredo 6-4 6-0 while the seventh seeded Frenchman brushed aside Italy’s Andrea Gaudenzi 6-1 6-4.

After the start of the match was delayed a half hour because of rain, Agassi and Rusedski played two points when the skies opened again forcing them off the court for 40 minutes.

When play resumed both men appeared to have problems finding their rhythm, particularly Rusedski who double-faulted on set point to hand Agassi a 1-0 lead.

With Agassi up a set and leading 2-1 in the second rain again began to fall causing another 45 minute delay.

When the players returned to the court Agassi played as if he were late for a dinner engagement breaking Rusedski twice on way to sweeping the final four games.

Agassi, who has played just two events after missing the first part of the season with a wrist injury sustained just before the start of the Australian Open, will now take on Morocco’s Younes El Aynaoui or Argentina’s Agustin Calleri in the third round.

Last year Roddick arrived at the Miami Masters as a promising unknown ranked 119 in the world.

He left hailed as the future of American tennis when he beat former world number ones Pete Sampras and Marcelo Rios before losing to Lleyton Hewitt in the quarterfinals.

But the 21-year-old American’s second trip around the professional circuit is turning into a bit of a bumpy ride.

Last week an ill Roddick vomited on court while losing in the Del Ray Beach final.

Although Roddick pounded 15 aces past the 37th-ranked Argentine in the second-round match, the American’s booming serve deserted him when he needed most, particularly in the final set.

Serving to stay in the contest at 5-4, Roddick fell behind 0-40 and watched in frustration as his forehand sailed long to give Chela the break and match.