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SAN JOSE, Feb 12: Top seed Andy Roddick began his North American campaign by crushing Belgium's Christophe Rochus 6-4 6-2 in the first round of the San Jose Open on Wednesday.
Third seed Mardy Fish, on the other hand, had to call on all his reserves in a 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-2) victory over Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen in a second round. Fourth seed Taylor Dent, however, fell 6-4 6-4 to fellow American and wild card Robert Kendrick, also in the second round.
The contest between the tall Roddick, the world's fastest server, and the short Rochus delighted the crowd, with the smaller man attempting to trip up the American by scampering to the net and attempting tight angles with his groundstrokes.
In the end though, the American was much too powerful, cracking 16 aces and 13 more winners to only 16 total winners for Rochus. Roddick did not always have his rhythm with his second serve, but once he established his footing on the high bouncing indoor court, he was lethal.
In the fifth game of the second set, Roddick cracked a 143-mph ace, a 136-mph service winner, a 137-mph ace and a 136-mph ace. Last Friday in the Davis Cup, Roddick set the world record for service speed at 150-mph (241.4 kph).
Results (first round):
Andy Roddick (U.S.) bt Christophe Rochus (Belgium) 6-4 6-2; Lee Hyung-taik (South Korea) bt Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 7-6 (7-1) 6-1; James Blake (U.S.) bt Zack Fleishman (U.S.) 6-1 6-3; Joachim Johansson (Sweden) bt Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) 5-7 7-5 6-2
Second round: Robert Kendrick (U.S.) bt Taylor Dent (U.S.) 6-4 6-4; Mardy Fish (U.S.) bt Kenneth Carlsen (Denmark) 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-2); Jan-Michael Gambill (U.S.) bt K.J.Hippensteel (U.S.) 6-3 6-2
Pierce dumps Serna
PARIS: Former champion Mary Pierce of France brushed aside eighth-seeded Spaniard Magui Serna in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the Paris Indoor Open here on Thursday.
Pierce took the tie on her fourth match point 6-2, 6-4 after 1hr 19min on court and next meets either Russian Elena Bovina or fourth seed Jelena Dokic of Serbia-Montenegro for a place in the semi-finals.
Results (Second round): Dinara Safina (RUS) bt Patty Schnyder (SWI x3) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1; Mary Pierce (FRA) bt Magui Serna (SPA) 6-2, 6-4; Francesca Schiavone (ITA) bt Karolina Sprem (CRO) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3; Tatiana Golovin (FRA) bt Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) walkover. -Agencies
