KEY BISCAYNE, Florida – Andy Roddick used a dominating serve and a smart baseline game to beat Tomas Berdych, 7-5, 6-4, and win the Sony Ericsson Open on Sunday.
Roddick earned his fifth title in a Masters 1000 tournament – one level below the Grand Slams – and his first since 2006.
He coaxed an errant backhand from Berdych on championship point, and responded to the crowd’s cheers with a thumbs-up. The runner-up last month at Indian Wells, Roddick has a record of 26-4 this year, the best on the men’s tour.
“The last month has been real good for me,” he said. “I’ve played well on the big moments. I’ve been able to have a game plan and execute it, regardless of what kind of shots it takes. So it’s all good. It’s all encouraging.”
The title was Roddick’s second at Key Biscayne, where he also won in 2004. - AP