Andy Roddick Sent Crashing Out

Andy Roddick was the biggest name to fall in Miami yesterday as the defending champion fell in straight sets to Pablo Cuevas.

Roddick lifted the title twelve months ago with a victory over Tomas Berdych in the final but his loss yesterday will see him drop out of the top ten.

But the American looked out of sorts from the off and saw the trainer three times during the match for breathing problems.

While Roddick’s serve didn’t dominate as we have come to expect it wasn’t until the seventh game of the opening set that Cuevas finally found a way through.

And Cuevas needed just that single break to take the opening set against the defending champion. However the second set was a very competitive affair, and while Roddick looked increasingly uncomfortable he continued to battle.

Locked at 6-6 in the second a tie break was needed to split the pair and it was Cuevas who held his nerve to take it 7-4 and wrap up the match 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to hand him the biggest win of his career.

Speaking to the ATP after the match Roddick said: “I didn't feel good all day. I had a little trouble breathing out there today.

“I've had something for a little while, but I'm going to have it checked out when I get home. You don't like going out there with less than what you got, and I feel like I have been doing that a lot. It's just frustrating.”

Cuevas will now face Gilles Simon in the third round as the Frenchman saw off Reiner Schuettler in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

But Roddick was not the only seed to fall yesterday as Ernests Gulbis was sent crashing out of the tournament at the hands of Carlos Berlocq 6-1 2-6 6-4.

While Jurgen Melzer and Marin Cilic were also beaten in straight sets by Philip Petzschner and Janko Tipsarevic, Melzer picking up an ankle injury during the match.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw