Roddick Fires 20 Aces In Straight-set Win

MELBOURNE, Australia — Top-ranked Andy Roddick and defending champion Andre Agassi breezed into the third round of the Australian Open by winning in straight sets Wednesday over Czech rivals.

Agassi had a 6-0, 6-2, 6-4 win over 18-year-old Tomas Berdych, closing with an ace in 1 hour 22 minutes. Roddick fired 20 aces and didn’t lose a point on his first serve in the third set of a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over Bohdan Ulihrach.

Roddick set up triple match point with a curling forehand winner down the line and finished it off in 1:13 with a booming first-serve winner.

The 33-year-old Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam winner, hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament. He converted six of eight break point chances and didn’t concede one.

Agassi took the first set in 18 minutes and Berdych did not win a game for 27 minutes, until he held serve for the first time in five attempts to close the gap to 2-1 in the second set.

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