New York Times: Roddick Uses Ingenuity to Advance

Andy Roddick hit a shot that cannot be found in any how-to manual, and it came at a critical time Saturday during his opening match at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Roddick, seeded sixth, beat the qualifier Viktor Troicki, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, in a second-round match. But with Troicki serving at 4-5 in the final game, Roddick needed to use his creativity to help him win the first point.

A rally forced him to the sideline near the net, and when Troicki sliced a volley to the other side, Roddick chased down the ball as it bounced away from him, then spun to send a backhand crosscourt past Troicki. The ball landed on the line, and the crowd erupted with a standing ovation.

“I didn’t even see it,” Roddick said. “I heard people yell and scream afterward, and I figured that was a good thing. As far as freak-show trick shots, that’s up there. You don’t hit shots like that every day.”

Five points later, Troicki hit a backhand wide, and Roddick had the victory. He improved to 16-3 this year.

Top-ranked Roger Federer, who is still seeking his first title this year, erased all seven break points he faced in defeating Gaël Monfils, 6-3, 6-4.

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