For once, Andy Roddick faced an opponent who could match him serve for serve.
But while Feliciano Lopez managed more aces than the American, he couldn't stop Roddick from winning his second ATP Tour title in three weeks on Saturday, rallying for a 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-2 win in the Dubai Tennis Championship final.
"This is as well as I've played," said Roddick, who didn't drop his serve throughout the tournament.
PHOTO: AFP
It was Roddick's first appearance in Dubai, and he ousted second-ranked Rafael Nadal and third-ranked Novak Djokovic during the week to become the first US winner of the tournament.
"I didn't really know what to expect," he said. "A big part of my decision [to attend] was to be able to get a shot at some of the top guys."
Roddick has used his overpowering serve to dominate opponents throughout the tournament but met his match in the final, as Lopez served 24 aces to Roddick's 22.
Lopez had some success returning Roddick's serve in the first set, but couldn't keep it up throughout the match.
Roddick failed to convert a set point in the first tiebreaker, but kept pressure on his opponent with powerful forehands and sliced backhands.
He finally broke Lopez to take a 5-4 lead in the second set, and then again in the opening game of the third.
Roddick also won in San Jose last month, but Saturday's victory will be an extra confidence boost as he revealed on Thursday that he had split with coach Jimmy Connors. Roddick credited Connors with vastly improving his backhand, and the 2003 US Open champion said he is ready to challenge for Grand Slam titles again.
"If I keep the form I kept this week I'll definitely be a threat again," he said.
Lopez played an aggressive volley game and tried to press Roddick into making mistakes with his backhand.
"The whole time, I felt I was playing well," Roddick said. "The biggest thing this week was the way I played my forehand," he said.
SERENA BEATS SISTER
AFP, BANGALORE, INDIA
Serena Williams defeated elder sister Venus in a three-set classic to advance to the final of the WTA Bangalore Open on Saturday.
Serena battled a fired-up Venus for two hours and 20 minutes before winning the semi-final clash, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), giving her a career 8-7 lead in head-to-head competition with her sister.
In yesterday's final, third seed Serena was due to face fourth-seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who brushed aside China's Yan Zi 6-3, 6-4 in the other semi-final.
The Williams sisters, playing their first tournament on Indian soil, gave fans a rousing treat as Serena, serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, was broken by Venus.
The sisters took the decider to the tie-breaker in which Serena, holder of eight Grand Slam titles, prevailed with a series of down-the-line winners.
Schnyder, who won before the Williams sisters took the court, said she was hoping to face Serena in the final.
"I prefer Serena only because I have beaten her a few times but never won against Venus," she said.
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