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| July 03, 2006 | Monday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 6, 1427 |
Murray sends Roddick crashing
LONDON, July 2: Andy Murray rode a wave of British fervour to knock out twice runner-up Andy Roddick 7-6 6-4 6-4 and reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time on Saturday.
Murray had won the pair's only previous meeting and once again proved that he was capable of taming Roddick's thunderbolt serve to the delight of a hollering Centre Court crowd.
The result kept alive Murray's dreams of becoming the first Briton in 70 years to win the Wimbledon men's crown, while third seed Roddick's exit ended a miserable day for the United States on tennis's most famous stage.
With Andre Agassi also bowing out earlier on Saturday, Murray's victory meant there would be no American man in the fourth round at Wimbledon for only the second time in the Open era.
Murray reached the last 16 at a grand slam for the first time when Roddick slapped a forehand long on the Scot's second match point.
The world number 44 will next face Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis.
Murray had lived dangerously throughout the first set and Roddick piled on the pressure with a barrage of winners and earned eight break points.
Murray was up to the challenge and saved each one, including four set points with a string of sizzling winners.
As the set entered a tiebreak, Murray kept a lid on his emotions until he clinched it 7-4 to let out a roar of relief.
World number five Roddick, who has won three grasscourt titles at Queen's, was left to reflect on how he had allowed it to slip away even though Murray had never come close to earning a break point.
To add to his frustration, the Scot pounced on a chance to break in the 10th game of the second set and an audacious passing shot winner was enough to give him a two-set advantage.
The 19-year-old Murray reacted to dropping his serve in the fifth game of the third set by immediately cancelling the advantage.
Roddick saved Murray's first match point with a stinging forehand winner that kissed the line but there would be no let off on the next one.—Reuterss
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