Roddick upset in first round at Memphis
No. 2 seed falls in straight sets to Belgian Malisse; Raonic advances
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Defending champion Andy Roddick was upset by Xavier Malisse, 7-6 (10-8), 7-5, in an opening-round match Wednesday night in the $1.155-million Regions Morgan Keegan Championships.
For Roddick, whose world ranking has slipped to 27th, it was the earliest exit from the Memphis tournament in 12 appearances.
Malisse, ranked 75th, was winless in four matches this season and in nine career matches against Roddick.
Roddick, seeded No. 2, has been slowed by hamstring and ankle problems this season. He was unable to capitalize on two set points in the first and was broken in the 12th game of the second by the 31-year-old Malisse.
Olivier Rochus of Belgium and Philipp Petzschner of Germany also pulled off upsets Wednesday.
Rochus beat No. 5 Alex Bogomolov of Russia, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) and Petzschner defeated No. 6 Julien Benneteau of France, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6).
Canadian No. 1 and fourth seed Milos Raonic followed up his win in last week’s ATP World Tour event in San Jose by topping Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) in one hour, 29 minutes.
Raonic, who fired 15 aces in his win, lost to Roddick in last year’s final to give the American his third consecutive title. Andy Roddick takes his frustration out on his racket after losing the first set to Xavier Malisse on Wednesday.
In other men’s first-round matches, No. 3 seed Radek Stepanek won 6-3, 6-2 over qualifier Bobby Reynolds, No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over qualifier Robby Ginepri and Jurgen Melzer of Austria beat Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan, 6-7 (7-2), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
Istomin was coming off a runner-up finish in San Jose.
In the Memphis International, the accompanying Women’s Tennis Association event, Alberta Brianti of Italy eliminated No. 2 seed Ksenia Pervak 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, while Sofia Arvidsson, the 2006 champion, upset No. 5 seed Pauline Parmentier 7-6 (7-5), 0-6, 6-3.