The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Andy Roddick pulls out midway

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Friday, Mar 30, 2007
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Andy Roddick pulls out midway

COMBINING WELL: Leander Paes (right) and Martin Damm surprised the top seeds at the Sony Ericsson Open. — Photo: AFP

MIAMI: As the shot sailed past Andy Roddick, he grimaced in pain and didn't even try to reach the ball. Instead, he limped towards Andy Murray at the net and extended his hand.

Eight games into their match on Wednesday, Roddick decided it was time to quit. He retired with a strained left hamstring, allowing Murray to advance to the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Open.

In the women's draw, three-time champion Serena Williams reached the semifinals, beating the eighth-seeded Nicole Vaidisova 6-1, 6-4. Serena will play for the fourth day in a row when she faces No. 14 Shahar Peer.

Roddick failed to make it through the first set. He said the injury occurred while lunging for a shot in the fifth game, and he called it quits while trailing 5-3.

Doubtful

An MRI exam revealed a grade-one strain — the least severe kind, with grade three the worst. Still, the injury puts in doubt Roddick's availability for the Davis Cup match against Spain from April 6 to 8.

``It's a hamstring — it could take three days, or three weeks,'' U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said. ``We're going to do everything we can to get him ready. There's no tear, that's the main thing.''

Roddick said he thought of Davis Cup the moment he hurt himself. ``It's disappointing,'' he said. ``Right now I just want to focus on getting better.''

Roddick failed to react to several of Murray's shots, took a medical time-out at 4-3 and left the court for a hamstring massage.

``It's hard to concentrate, because you don't know how bad the injury is,'' Murray said. ``You just have to try to get the ball back and make them play.''

Roddick returned to play six more points but was hobbling all the time. On the final rally, he hit a half-volley at the net. When Murray pulled a backhand crosscourt for a winner, Roddick didn't move — or even look at the ball. He then conceded with a handshake.

In the men's doubles quarterfinals, India's Leander Paes and Martin Damm of the Czech Republic stunned the top-seeded pair of Jonas Bjorkman (Sweden) and Max Mirnyi (Belarus) 7-6(5), 6-3.

The results (quarterfinals):

Men: Andy Murray bt Andy Roddick 5-3, retd.; Novak Djokovic bt Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4.

Women: Shahar Peer bt Tathiana Garbin 6-0, 6-3; Serena Williams bt Nicole Vaidisova 6-1, 6-4. — AP

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