MELBOURNE, Australia -- Andy Roddick fended off four set
points in the second set and held off a determined Tommy Haas 6-3,
7-6 (6) to win the Kooyong exhibition tournament Saturday.
"I knew it would be tough today, Tommy has been in great form
early this year," Roddick said. "I'm happy with the way I'm
hitting the ball."
Roddick lost to Roger Federer in the final of the Australian
Open tuneup event last year. He advanced to this year's
championship when Nicolas Kiefer retired because of an ankle injury
in the second game of their semifinal Friday.
The American started fast Saturday, breaking Haas' serve in the
fourth game and winning the first set in 35 minutes.
Haas, who upset 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.
But the big-serving Roddick held his nerve, getting to deuce by
forcing a series of errors from Haas and then saving another set
point before holding the game on a service winner. He broke Haas'
serve in the next game and held to make it 5-5.
Roddick got a minibreak in the tiebreaker, firing an ace for a
3-0 lead. Haas then tallied to tie it at 4 with a deft backhand
drop volley after Roddick double-faulted.
Roddick got one match point when Haas' slice backhand landed
just long. He missed that, but converted his next, putting a
backhand away with Haas' scrambling to stay in the point.
Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, is seeded No. 2 in the
Australian Open. He will open Monday against qualifier Michael
Lammers of Switzerland and says he's concentrating on one Swiss
rival at a time.
"I can promise you right now -- I'm thinking about Michael
Lammers and not Roger Federer," Roddick said.
Roddick had 13 aces and lost only one game on serve.
"I'm happy with my serve ... the way I'm hitting the ball," he
said. "I definitely feel the most prepared that I have been," for
the Australian Open.
"I had a legitimate offseason, where I was able to train. I
feel fit and I'm really excited."
Haas, who slumped from a career-high No. 2 to No. 41 after a
spate of injuries, said he was back on track.
"It was a good week -- very good preparation because I had to
play some good matches," he said. "Even today, I think a few
points here and that that could have gone differently"
He will open Australian Open play against Richard Gasquet of
France.