Roddick throws out Ball, moves on in Brisbane

BRISBANE, Australia – Andy Roddick got on top in a serving duel to beat Carsten Ball, 7-6 (0), 6-3, on Wednesday and advance to the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International.

Top-seeded Roddick broke in the eighth game of the second set – the only service break in the match – and clinched it next game over the 22-year-old Ball, a big-serving left hander who was born and raised in California but plays for Australia.

“He serves huge. It was tough for me early on to get a read on it. I expected a tough one today, and it really was,” said Roddick, who possesses one of the biggest serves in tennis. “It’s not as much fun when it’s flipped.”

The former No. 1-ranked Roddick faced only one breakpoint, when serving to stay in the first set, then dominated from the tiebreaker.

Roddick is playing his first tournament since withdrawing at Shanghai in October with an injured left knee, so he’s playing doubles with James Blake to prepare for the season’s first major at the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18 in Melbourne.

He said the knee isn’t bothering him and he’s steadily finding form.

“I made a lot of returns. Think I had four errors with 24 winners. I served 83 percent first serves — those are numbers you’re going to be happy with any day,” he said.

His next match is a quarterfinal against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who beat Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden, 6-3, 6-4.

Defending champion Radek Stepanek came from a set and a break down to beat Ukraine qualifier Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr., 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-2. The second-seeded Stepanek next faces American Wayne Odesnik, a 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-1 winner over Colombia’s Alejandro Falla.

Blake recovered from a break down in the third set and fended off three match points in the tiebreaker to edge Frenchman Marc Gicquel, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (6).

“Hard work but a fun result,” the 30-year-old American said of his narrow escape. “Sometimes these are the best feelings. To tough it out. I felt like I scrapped and competed really hard ... you just keep going for your shots and end up on top.”

Blake said he relaxed prematurely after winning the opening set.           (AP)