Sporting Life: Roddick keeps dream alive

Andy Roddick survived a brief scare before booking his place in the fourth round of Wimbledon shortly before 9pm on Friday.

Roddick’s third-round clash with Spain’s Fernando Verdasco did not begin until 7pm thanks to two rain delays and previous lengthy matches on Court One.

That did not look a problem as the American raced through the opening two sets in just 58 minutes, but the third seed had to come from a break down and save two set points before sealing victory in a third-set tie-break.

With both players relying heavily on their powerful serves, it was never destined to be a classic confrontation.

A rare touch of finesse from Roddick was enough for the one break he needed to take the opening set 6-3, and a break in the opening game of the second saw the two-time finalist take that 6-4.

The 24-year-old saved a break point early in the third set with the aid of an ace measured at 144mph, but just when it seemed he would breeze through to the fourth round with almost unseemly haste, he lost his serve in the fourth game with a tame forehand into the net.

Verdasco, who had not dropped a set in his opening two matches, sensed he was back in with a chance and almost broke again for a 5-1 lead, and that let-off proved crucial.