Overcoming The “cute” Shot

Roddick overcomes `cute shot” to advance at Key Biscayne 3/30/04 5:47 PM

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) _ Andy Roddick’s rocket serves kept coming back. His backhand looked shaky. His third-set lead disappeared.

And when Jonas Bjorkman saved a point with a behind-the-back shot, Roddick feared trouble.

“I was thinking, `This is really beautiful,”"” Roddick said. “He hit that shot, and now we”re at 30-all at 3-3 in the third set.”"

But Roddick won 10 of the next 13 points to close out a tense victory, beating Bjorkman 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Monday night in the third round of the Nasdaq-100 Open.

The match served as a Davis Cup preview. Roddick and the U.S. team play Bjorkman and Sweden in the quarterfinals April 9-11 at nearby Delray Beach.

“Obviously, you can”t help but think forward a couple of weeks to the Davis Cup,”" Roddick said. “But winning tonight really doesn’t do anything to help our chances.”"

It did keep the No. 2-seeded Roddick on course for a semifinal showdown against Andre Agassi. Six-time champion Agassi played almost flawless tennis against Max Mirnyi, committing just five unforced errors and winning 6-2, 6-2 in 53 minutes.

“Days like this are few and far between,”" said Agassi, seeded fourth.

“So I definitely feel great about the performance.”" Serena and Venus Williams, seeded 1-2, advanced to the women’s quarterfinals.

Serena, playing her third match following an eight-month layoff, overpowered 16-year-old Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3. Older sister Venus beat No. 15 Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-3 and faces No. 5 Elena Dementieva on Wednesday.

American Jill Craybas became the lone unseeded quarterfinalist when she rallied to upset No. 9-seeded Paola Suarez 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2). Bjorkman was eliminated, but can take consolation in providing the shot of the tournament.

The Swede was moving to his right at the baseline when Roddick blasted a shot behind him. With no time to reverse direction, Bjorkman invented a behind-the-back swing and lined the ball back to an astonished Roddick. The rallied continued, and Roddick eventually dumped a forehand in the net.

Bjorkman, a 14-year pro who has won six Grand Slam titles, couldn”t remember hitting such a shot before.

“That’s one in a million to make,”" he said. “I think it’s more easy to twist an ankle than make it. I wasn”t sure how I hit it, actually.”"

As the crowd roared, Roddick joined in the applause.

“Cute shot,”" he said.

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