August 09, 2008	Saturday	Sha’aban 6, 1429

LOS ANGELES, Aug 8: Top seed Andy Roddick kick-started his preparations for next month’s US Open with a 6-2, 6-2 crushing of Serbian Dusan Vemic on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP event in Los Angeles. The former world No 1, who has struggled with injury this summer, breezed past world No 178 Vemic, who had made it into the main draw as a lucky loser.

“It was good,” Roddick said. “It was a little bit awkward, the way he plays with a big serve and then a lot of drop shots, but I wasn’t expecting much rhythm tonight.

“There are still some things I can do better. I wasn’t hitting the ball that cleanly at times, but all in all it was a good start.”

Having been given a first-round bye, Roddick, who missed last week’s Masters Series event in Cincinnati because of a stiff neck, wasted no time in cruising to victory in 73 minutes.

The American broke in the fourth game and his only moment of concern came in the next game, when he had to recover from 0-40 to hold serve.

One break, in the sixth game of the second set, was enough to put him in total control and though Vemic saved four match points on serve at 2-5, Roddick clinched victory when he ripped a forehand pass up the line.

Roddick now plays Frenchman Marc Gicquel after the world number 49 beat American Donald Young 6-3, 6-3.

Third seed Juan Martin Del Potro extended his winning streak to 11 matches when he beat Italian Andrea Stoppini 6-4, 6-2 to reach the last eight.

The Argentine, who won back-to-back titles in Stuttgart and Kitzbuhel last month, was always too strong for the world No 221 and he will meet now American qualifier Amer Delic in the last eight.

Delic sent seventh seed Carlos Moya the way of his fellow Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco with a 6-2, 6-7, 7-6 victory in the second round.

Less than 24 hours after his compatriots were beaten at the same stage, the former world No 1 was edged out 6-2, 6-7, 7-6, squandering a 4-2 lead in the final set.

“It’s a little bit frustrating because after the first set, I was controlling the match, a break up and 0-40,” Moya said.

“But I got a little nervous and thought the match was won, and he came back and took advantage.”

Thursday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Second round: 1-Andy Roddick (US) bt Dusan Vemic (Serbia) 6-2, 6-2; Amer Delic (US) bt 7-Carlos Moya (Spain) 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5); Marc Gicquel (France) bt Donald Young (US) 6-3, 6-3; 3-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) bt Andrea Stoppini (Italy) 6-4, 6-2.—Reuters