dayton daily news: Roddick on Mason tournament: ‘It feels like home’

Andy Roddick bounced his racket after one poor shot, stared at the sky in disbelief after another. A little off at times, he still had that serve to pull him through.Roddick relied on the best part of his game — the nasty serve — to set up a 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory Tuesday night over Fernando Verdasco in his first match at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.

Roddick won the tournament last year, making a triumphant return from a long slump and pulled side muscles that had left him vulnerable. This year, the tournament is more about maintaining than regaining.

“This is where the big turnaround took place,” said Roddick, who went on to reach the U.S. Open final after winning here last year. “It feels like home.”

After a ragged first set, he settled in and finished off Verdasco for his 20th victory in his last 23 matches. Roddick served 13 aces, one of them clocked at 146 mph.

“I don’t think I hit the ball great early, but I got better as the match went on,” Roddick said. “I served better. I haven’t been serving well the last couple of weeks.”

The third-seeded Roddick was the only player among the tournament’s top six with a match during the first two days. The top eight seeds got first-round byes this year, giving them time to relax and practice.

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