Thu, May 31, 2007 page20

• Roddick crashes out at Roland Garros

  EARLY EXIT Defeat for the No. 3 seed against young Russian Igor Andreev marked a bad day for the US as a total of eight Americans fell in the first round at Paris

  • AP
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  The French Open's red clay is still a befuddling proposition for Andy Roddick.

  The 2003 US Open champion exited in the first round at Roland Garros for the fourth time in six years, falling to Igor Andreev of Russia 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday.

  "I feel like the surface definitely makes a difference," said the third-ranked Roddick, who has reached the Wimbledon final twice. "I just got to figure something out."

  

  Andy Roddick of the US reacts after losing a point during his first round match against Igor Andreev of Russia at the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Tuesday.

  PHOTO: AP

  Seven other American men, including James Blake, also lost on Tuesday. The eighth-seeded Blake fell to Ivo Karlovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5.

  Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, finalists last year, advanced to the second round by winning in straight sets. Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez, however, lost to Radek Stepanek 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.

  Roddick hasn't won consecutive matches at Roland Garros since 2001. Last year, he quit with an ankle injury after losing the first two sets against Alberto Martin of Spain.

  

  PHOTO: AP

  "It was difficult, but I made him go out and beat me today," said Roddick, who was broken at love in the third game of the final set when he double-faulted for the first time. "I felt like I hit the ball OK today. At times, really well."

  Nadal, the two-time defending champion who improved to 15-0 for his career at the French Open, beat Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.

  "Difficult always in the first round ... especially here," said Nadal, who trailed 5-3 in the first set but then won eight straight games. "He played very tough, very aggressive."

  All three players who have beaten Federer this year advanced to the second round -- Nadal, No. 19 Guillermo Canas and No. 29 Filippo Volandri.

  Canas, who served a 15-month ban for doping that ended in September, defeated Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. Volandri advanced by defeating Paul Capdeville of Chile 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.

  "Oh, it's great to be here," said the 19th-seeded Canas, who tested positive for a diuretic in 2005. "It's great to be in the French Open again. It's great to play my first Grand Slam after my suspension."

  Also reaching the second round were seventh-ranked Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, No. 9 Tommy Robredo, No. 11 Richard Gasquet, No. 14 Lleyton Hewitt and No. 15 David Nalbandian.

  "There's an art to playing on clay," said Hewitt, who has won both Wimbledon and the US Open and also reached the final at the Australian Open.

  On the women's side, Jelena Jankovic and Nicole Vaidisova advanced.

  Jankovic won the Italian Open this month, making her one of the favorites. She beat Stephanie Foretz of France 6-2, 6-2, converting four of her five break points in the first set and then adding three more breaks in the second.

  "You don't play your best tennis in the first round," said Jankovic, who was broken twice in the first set. "It was a little bit slow and the balls were quite heavy."

  Also advancing was 2004 runner-up Elena Dementieva, while No. 11 Nadia Petrova of Russia lost to Kveta Peschke of Germany 7-5, 5-7, 6-0.
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