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Roddick set to face new kid on block

Andy Roddick celebrates after winning a point against Chris Guccione during the SAP Open tennis tournament in San Jose, California, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP

Hard serving American Andy Roddick survived a serving barrage from Chris Guccione to win 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/5), in a first-round match at the US$436,000 SAP Open on Wednesday.

Holder of the world's fastest serve at 249kph, the top-seeded Roddick was almost upstaged by the unheralded Guccione, who fired 20 aces in almost pulling off a stunning upset.

Conversely, Roddick managed just nine aces against the Aussie, a lucky loser who is 1-4 all-time against players ranked in the top 10. The 22-year-old Guccione has not beaten a top-10 player since defeating world No. 2 Rafael Nadal in January last year -- when the Spanish southpaw withdrew in the opening set of their first-round match at Sydney.

Roddick, the world No. 6, advances to a second-round matchup against Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori, who defeated unseeded Argentine Diego Hartfield, 7-5, 6-3.

Nishikori, 18, vaulted to 131st in the world rankings following his upset victory over James Blake in the final at Delray Beach on Sunday, and said he is prepared for his next challenge.

"I'm ready," Nishikori said. "I'll be facing another top 10 player. His serve is a big thing. [Roddick will] be the highest ranked player I've ever played."

Midway through the first set, Nishikori saw Roddick watching.

"When I was down 4-3, I saw him in the stands," Nishikori said. "I got really nervous. He was sitting next to my coach. I wanted to play Roddick. That's why I won."

Roddick was doing some last-minute scouting on his upcoming opponent, who became the first Japanese to win an ATP title for 16 years by winning at Delray Beach.

"I saw him play a little bit last week," Roddick said of Nishikori. "I'd be lying if I said I knew a lot about him. I saw him play tonight. He looks like he's full of confidence and he has a lot of momentum going for him."

"I've begun asking around about him. I hope to talk to James [Blake] tomorrow about their match together last Sunday," Roddick said.

Blake, the tournament's No. 2 seed, rebounded from that shocking defeat with 6-3, 6-1 victory over Sam Warburg in Tuesday's opening round.

Third-seeded German Tommy Haas beat American Robert Kendrick in Wednesday's night match.

In second-round play, fourth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek advanced to the quarter-finals with a 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) win over Bobby Reynolds, and will face the winner of the match between Wayne Odesnik and Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun.
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