Andy Roddick defeats Michael Llodra at Wimbledon
Andy Roddick has seen off tough challenge from Michael Llodra to win his second round match at Wimbledon 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(2).
It was all-in-all a composed performance by Roddick when it counted, and one which provides every indication that he’s in both the mindset and form to once again challenge for the Wimbledon title that so narrowly eluded him in last year’s epic final against Roger Federer.
Llodra arrived at Wimbledon fresh from winning the Aegon International title in Eastbourne, and carried that form through in a first round victory over the unseeded Jesse Witten and into the opening set against a much tougher American opponent in Roddick.
It took just one break of serve in the opening set for the Frenchman to take a 1-0 advantage in the match as – much as it did in the Eastbourne final against Guillermo Garcia Lopez – Llodra’s serve proved his biggest asset as he won 92% of points on his first serve for the set.
Roddick then faced a staunch test to hold serve in the opening game of the second set, but the fifth seed stood firm and a few games later it was his turn to claim the sole break of serve for the set, taking the opportunity with his only break point chance of the match to that stage. It was to prove the most crucial point of the set, as with no other breaks forthcoming, the three-time Wimbledon runner-up got the match back on level terms.
It was all Roddick in the third set, as he began to assert his authority over the match. The 2003 US Open champion secured the first break, and with it a 3-1 lead, then consolidated the advantage with his 15th ace of the match in the next game, after he’d staved off a break point at 30-40. Another service break followed in the sixth game of the set, and another service hold sealed a 2-1 lead in the match for the 27-year-old.
Though Llodra was seemingly suffering from injury troubles at the beginning of the fourth set, he began it with the clear intention of clinging to the match for as long possible. To that end, he lifted his service game closer to the level it had been in the opening set, after recording a dismal first serve percentage of 38% in the third. Not only was the serve working again for the world No. 46, his net play was also causing headaches for Roddick as neither player could even muster a break point chance as the set progressed, with an air of inevitability, to a tiebreak.
With 2006 ladies singles champion and French counterpart Amelie Mauresmo watching on, Llodra got the tiebreak underway with an ace, and indeed it wasn’t until the fifth point of the breaker that either player got a racquet on his opponent’s serve. That player was Roddick, who, facing a second serve constructed a winning point and with a well-executed lob secured the mini-break as he retained his composure to take the four set victory, bringing up four match points by passing Llodra at the net.
It only took one, a forehand winner, to seal the victory for Roddick, whose Wimbledon dream remains alive into the third round at least.
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