In brief

Aces crucial as Roddick defeats Safin

By wire services
Published November 19, 2004

HOUSTON - Andy Roddick and Marat Safin both had good chances to win. Only Roddick took advantage of his opportunities. Roddick came up with four aces in the second-set tiebreaker and defeated Safin 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4) in a second-round match at the ATP Masters Cup Championships on Thursday.

The second-seeded Roddick remained on course for a weekend meeting with No.1 Roger Federer , already assured a semifinal berth in the round-robin format. Federer beat Roddick in the semifinals of last year's Masters Cup.

Roddick has a 2-0 record in the Blue Group. The top two players from the Blue and Red groups meet in Saturday's semifinals.

Roddick and Safin remained on serve throughout the second set, though Safin had to save two break points in the third game and Roddick came back from three break points to hold in the 12th game and force the tiebreaker.

"I felt lucky to get through the first set," Roddick said. "The rest of the match, I couldn't ask for more. I thought that was some high-level tennis."

Roddick broke from a 3-3 deadlock in the second-set tiebreaker with a 121 mph ace and didn't trail again. Safin made a running forehand error to bring on match point, and Roddick's 118 mph ace closed it out.

Roddick had to struggle to reach the second tiebreaker, overcoming three break points in the final game of the set. After Safin got the third break point, Roddick served an ace to pull even. Roddick then went ahead on Safin's service return into the net. After the shot, Safin broke his racket by slamming it to the court.

"I didn't actually see it but I looked up and saw two pieces of racket," Roddick said. "I'm sorry I missed it. He's up there with the best of them at breaking rackets."

Roddick finally forced the tiebreaker with a service winner.

A year ago, Shane Mosley was celebrating his second win over Oscar De La Hoya and making plans to replace him as one of the sport's biggest stars.

Things can change fast in boxing, though, and no one knows it better than Mosley. When he enters the ring Saturday to fight St. Petersburg's Winky Wright for a second time, his career as an elite level fighter could be on the line.

"I'm just going to be Sugar Shane once again," Mosley said. "I haven't been the Sugar Shane that people know me as."

Mosley certainly wasn't that fighter in March, when Wright dominated him to win the undisputed 154-pound title with a unanimous 12-round decision. That erased any thoughts Mosley had about big-money matches with Bernard Hopkins or Felix Trinidad or perhaps a third fight with De La Hoya.

Now he must show he can rebound in his rematch with Wright or face getting back in a long line of challengers for the big fights. Mosley has no doubt he will do just that.

"I just know there's exceptionally good fighters and there are great fighters," he said. "I believe I'm a great fighter."

Oddsmakers aren't so sure, making Wright a favorite in the scheduled 12-round fight for the WBA and WBC 154-pound titles.

Arsenal goalkeeper Stuart Taylor , who has not played for the Premiership champion in more than a year, joined Leicester on a one-month loan.

"It gives us the chance to look at Stuart and gives him a chance to find out whether he is comfortable here," Leicester manager Craig Levein said.

Johnny Weir and Brian Joubert already have victories in the Grand Prix series. The American champion and European gold medalist meet this week at the Trophee Bompard. Weir won the NHK trophy two weeks ago, while France's Joubert captured Skate America top open the season.

"I want to keep improving," Weir said. "Yes, I was national champion, but that was last year. There is still more work to do, but I think I am a lot more sound."

The short program is today. Also competing is Emanuel Sandhu , the Skate Canada winner, and 2002 Olympic bronze medalist Timothy Goebel .

[Last modified November 18, 2004, 23:59:17]