Tennis

Roddick pulls U.S. even with Belgium

By wire services
Published September 24, 2005

LEUVEN, Belgium - Trying to stay in the elite group of Davis Cup, the United States got a victory from Andy Roddick on Friday to tie Belgium 1-1 after James Blake lost the opener.

Roddick used 13 aces to overpower Christophe Rochus 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 on the indoor red clay after Rochus' brother, Olivier, opened the best-of-five series with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 victory.

"I felt good from the start," said Roddick, who lost in the first round of the U.S. Open. "I controlled the beginning of each set."

Today, twins Bob and Mike Bryan are favored against Olivier Rochus and Kristof Vliegen. Reverse singles are Sunday.

The United States, which lost its first-round match to Croatia in Los Angeles in March, must win to avoid dropping to zonal play.

Blake, 8 inches taller than his opponent, led 3-0 in the second set and was two points from leading 5-1.

With Rochus leading 5-4 and 30-15 in the second set, Blake broke for 5-5. But Rochus broke back and in the next game delivered an ace on a second serve and closed the set with winners. The match ended with Blake's seventh double fault.

"It was one of those days when he is playing well and he is getting the breaks," said Blake, who reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals. "Things tend to feel like they are snowballing."

SEMIFINALS: David Nalbandian beat Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 to give visiting Argentina a tie. Tied at 5 in the second set, Nalbandian overcame a 15-40 deficit. Earlier, Guillermo Coria, No.8 in the world, lost 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 to No.48 Karol Beck. ... Ivan Ljubicic beat Russia's Mikhail Youzhny 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to give host Croatia a tie. Earlier, Nikolay Davydenko beat Mario Ancic 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

BEIJING - Venus Williams withdrew from the China Open before her quarterfinal against Marta Domachowska because of a sore left knee injured Thursday. Williams said she expects to return for next week's event in Guangzhou, China.

In the semifinals, Domachowska faces Anna-Lena Groenefeld, who beat Peng Shuai 7-5, 6-1. Maria Sharapova beat Shinobu Asagoe 6-4, 6-1 and next faces Maria Kirilenko, who beat Sun Tiantian 6-1, 6-3.

[Last modified September 24, 2005, 01:00:22]