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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Federer fightback beats Roddick | Federer fightback beats Roddick |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| World number one Roger Federer saved three match points to beat Andy Roddick in a two-and-a-half-hour thriller at the Masters Cup in Shanghai. | World number one Roger Federer saved three match points to beat Andy Roddick in a two-and-a-half-hour thriller at the Masters Cup in Shanghai. |
| In a match of high quality, Roddick took the first set 6-4 and had three set points in the second-set tie-break. | In a match of high quality, Roddick took the first set 6-4 and had three set points in the second-set tie-break. |
| But the Swiss player managed to save them all before taking the tie-break to level the Red Group match. | But the Swiss player managed to save them all before taking the tie-break to level the Red Group match. |
| One break early in the third set was enough to give him a 4-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 win, his eighth in a row over Roddick. | One break early in the third set was enough to give him a 4-6 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 win, his eighth in a row over Roddick. |
| 606 DEBATE: Can Federer win the Masters Cup? | 606 DEBATE: Can Federer win the Masters Cup? |
| The American has now lost 12 of the 13 times he has faced Federer. | The American has now lost 12 of the 13 times he has faced Federer. |
| It was also Federer's 14th straight win in the Masters Cup and he is virtually assured of reaching the semi-finals, having also won his opening round-robin match against David Nalbandian. | |
| He said: "It's hard to control against Andy when he's serving so big like in the first two sets. I know I got a bit lucky. | |
| "Early on in the tie-break when I was down 4-1 and him serving I thought, well, it's probably not my day, I'm not playing that great and he's not giving me a chance, so I guess that's it. | |
| "But I told myself maybe I can make him nervous by just staying in the match. | |
| "That's what happened. I don't know if he got nervous or it just went my way in the end, but it was really close, that's for sure." | |
| With the progress I've made over the last four or five months, I feel I'm getting better each time I step out on the court Andy Roddick | |
| Roddick was left to rue his missed chances, saying: "I put myself in a position to win. It's tough right now." | Roddick was left to rue his missed chances, saying: "I put myself in a position to win. It's tough right now." |
| The world number five rounded on a Chinese journalist who suggested his tactic of coming to the net was a liability. | The world number five rounded on a Chinese journalist who suggested his tactic of coming to the net was a liability. |
| "My serve-and-volley game put me one point away (from winning) and you're saying it didn't work?" asked Roddick. | "My serve-and-volley game put me one point away (from winning) and you're saying it didn't work?" asked Roddick. |
| "I suggest learning something about tennis before you comment on it." | "I suggest learning something about tennis before you comment on it." |
| Roddick said his disappointment was tempered by the improvement in his game since he has been working with Jimmy Connors. | |
| "With the progress I've made over the last four or five months, I feel I'm getting better each time I step out on the court," he said. "It's tough right now, but at the same time I remember where I was four or five months ago as far as my career. It definitely feels like it's on the upswing. "For the first time in a while, I'm not getting further away," he added. | |
| Tuesday's other match pits David Nalbandian against Ivan Ljubicic. | Tuesday's other match pits David Nalbandian against Ivan Ljubicic. |
| Red Group: Roger Federer (Swi), Ivan Ljubicic (Cro), Andy Roddick (USA), David Nalbandian (Arg) | Red Group: Roger Federer (Swi), Ivan Ljubicic (Cro), Andy Roddick (USA), David Nalbandian (Arg) |
| Gold Group: Rafael Nadal (Spa), Nikolay Davydenko (Rus), Tommy Robredo (Spa), James Blake (USA) | Gold Group: Rafael Nadal (Spa), Nikolay Davydenko (Rus), Tommy Robredo (Spa), James Blake (USA) |
| Tuesday's matches:Roger Federer v Andy RoddickDavid Nalbandian v Ivan Ljubicic | Tuesday's matches:Roger Federer v Andy RoddickDavid Nalbandian v Ivan Ljubicic |