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Roddick, Djokovic reach last 16 in Rome

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-05-10 09:27

ROME,?- Third seed Andy Roddick edged into the last 16 of the Rome Masters with a 6-1 7-6 win over former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio on Wednesday.

Serbian fifth seed Novak Djokovic also progressed, holding his nerve to beat Robin Soderling 3-6 6-4 6-3.

Roddick, who as playing his first tournament since pulling out of the Miami Masters with a hamstring injury in March, dominated the early stages of the contest, lashing a forehand drive down the line to go a break up in the fourth game, then breaking again in the sixth before taking the first set in 28 minutes.

The second set, however, was much tighter. Roddick created four match points with aggressive serve-volleying, but 2004 Roland Garros winner Gaudio saved them all.

Gaudio too had a chance to take the match to a deciding set at 8-7 up, but Roddick fired down an ace.

A double-fault by Gaudio, however, gave Roddick a fifth match point, which the American converted by coming into the net to put away a winning volley.

He will next play the winner of the later match between Juan Ignacio Chela and Igor Andreev.

Djokovic, 19, came into Rome full of confidence after winning last week's claycourt event in Estoril -- his third title of the season -- but was pushed all the way by Soderling.

The Swede seemed in control when he got an early break in the decider, but Djokovic levelled the scores then fended off break points in the fifth and seventh games to stay in contention.

Soderling crumbled in the eighth game, a series of unforced errors giving Djokovic the decisive break he needed to serve out for the match.

Twelfth seed Tomas Berdych also reached the last 16 with a 7-6 6-3 win over Albert Montanes.