Andy Roddick enjoyed an easy ride into the second round of the Shanghai Masters yesterday as Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber was unable to continue in a 6-3, 2-1 victory for the tenth seeded American.
“We’ve all been on the bad side of having to pull out of a match, it’s not fun,” said Roddick, who lost his opening match in Shanghai last year and has tumbled out of the top 10. “But I thought I hit the ball well in what we did play today. I started to hit pretty well last week also, even though I lost the match to Gael [Monfils in Tokyo].
“I’m glad that I can get through today and keep trying to build on it,” he said.
Chinese tennis showed robust health as unheralded Bai Yan, No. 465 in the world, upset veteran Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4 to move into a match with fourth seed Andy Murray.
RIDING HIGH
Bai, 21, is riding high from titles at a pair of low-level Chinese Future events in recent weeks while Murray is struggling to escape another slump after a quarter-final loss last week in Beijing against Ivan Ljubicic.
“I’ll just do my best job and give my best performance,” Bai said. “All I know is that I can probably put him under some pressure.”
Bai has watched Murray numerous times on television, even if the Briton will likely have no idea who his opponent is.
“He’s a talented player, much better than me, I think, but I hope to learn from him in our match and I think it will be a good opportunity for me,” Bai said.
FIRST ROND
Bai’s only other ATP appearance came in Beijing two years ago, when he lost in the first round to Japan’s Go Soeda.
Fellow Chinese wildcard Zhang Ze gave Ivan Ljubicic a scare before the Croatian restored order with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win.
Spain’s David Ferrer bounced back from losing the China Open final 24 hours earlier with a 7-6, 6-1 win over Frenchman Michael Llodra.
Meanwhile, Wimbledon marathon man John Isner sent down 24 aces in a 4-6, 7-6 (11/9), 7-6 (9/7) defeat of Lukasz Kubot.
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