MIAMI, Florida, March 24: Todd Martin defied an age gap of 12 years and more than a hundred world ranking places to inflict a stunning defeat on Andy Roddick in the Nasdaq-100 Open on Sunday.
The 32-year-old veteran beat the sixth seed 7-6 6-4 to claim his first win over his 20-year-old fellow American in three attempts.
Martin, twice a grand slam finalist in a senior career spanning almost 14 years, has slipped to 114 in the rankings but looked back at his prime as he wore down Roddick with some devastating service returns.
Roddick threw down his racket in disgust at the end of the tiebreak, which he lost by putting a backhand return into the net, and was made to look pedestrian around the court in the second set.
Martin also sent down 12 aces on his way to victory.
Martin will play Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in the fourth round on Tuesday.
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Third round: Todd Martin bt Andy Roddick 7-6 (7-3) 6-4; Paradorn Srichaphan bt Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3 6-7 (7-9) 6-3; Robby Ginepri bt James Blake 6-3 6-2; Lee Hyung-taik bt Francisco Clavet 4-6 6-2 6-1; Nicolas Escude bt Mardy Fish 7-5 6-3; Carlos Moya bt Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (7-5) 6-3; Marcelo Rios bt Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3 7-6 (7-2); Radek Stepanek bt Rainer Schuettler 6-4 6-4.—Reuters