Tennis

Blake wins fourth title

SYDNEY, Australia - Tampa's James Blake capped his Australian Open preparations with his fourth career ATP Tour title, beating Russian Igor Andreev 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) on Saturday in the Sydney International.

Blake dropped only one set in his previous four matches here - in the quarterfinals to Arnaud Clement of France. Andreev, meanwhile, had three consecutive three-set matches, including Friday's semifinal win over Andreas Seppi of Italy.

Andreev's fatigue showed in the third-set tiebreaker when he made four errors to give Blake three match points at 6-3.

Blake won the championship on his first match point when Andreev, 22, hit a backhand into the net.

"I played with a lot of confidence," Blake said. "This is perfect, the heat, to get ready for three out of five (sets) in Melbourne."

Blake appeared strong at the end despite the high humidity and temperatures around 86 degrees.

"It might be hot here, but it's snowing back in Connecticut, so I don't mind," he said as he jogged up the red carpet to pick up his trophy.

MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL: Top seed Lleyton Hewitt became the first player in more than 60 years to win the Medibank International in Sydney four times after a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Ivo Minar in the final.

KOOYONG: Andy Roddick fended off four set points in the second set and held off a determined Tommy Haas 6-3, 7-6 (7-6) to win in Melbourne, Australia.

Haas, who upset Roger Federer in the first round, jumped to an early 4-1 lead in the second after breaking Roddick's serve in the fourth game and then holding. In the eighth game, the German set up three set points with a forehand winner that had Roddick in trouble at 0-40.

HEINEKEN OPEN: Jarkko Nieminen beat Mario Ancic 6-2, 6-2 in the final, held in Auckland, New Zealand, to win his first ATP Tour title. Ancic made his 25th unforced error on match point, giving Nieminen the win in 61 minutes.

WOMEN: Michaella Krajicek beat Iveta Benesova, 6-2, 6-1, Friday in the final of the Moorilla International in Hobart Australia.

[Last modified January 15, 2006, 01:48:18]