Roddick ousted at Aussie Open; Davenport wins

MELBOURNE, Australia – Andy Roddick tumbled out of the Australian Open today, losing 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to unseeded Marcos Baghdatis in the fourth round.

Roddick, the No. 2 seed, was unsettled by the high-energy Baghdatis, a 20-year-old former junior world champion from Cyprus.

After dropping just one service game in his three previous matches, Roddick was broken once in each of the first, third and fourth sets. Baghdatis had 16 aces, one more than Roddick, and only 26 unforced errors.

“I’m just in my own world and playing great tennis,” Baghdatis said. “I think it’s one of the best matches of my life.”

Baghdatis, ranked 54th, advanced to a quarterfinal against the winner of today’s match between No. 7 Ivan Ljubicic and No. 10 Thomas Johansson, the 2002 Australian Open champion.

It was a disappointing exit for Roddick, the American who had a shocking first-round loss in the U.S. Open – the last Grand Slam event.

Roddick had 39 winners and 31 unforced errors.

“I didn’t play that badly – plus eight in winners to errors – I looked and I won more total points,” Roddick said. “I think I would have beaten most people today, but credit where it’s due – he played a very good match.”

Roddick won 117 points to Baghdatis’ 116, but converted only two of nine breakpoint chances, while his rival converted three of 10.

“The shots he was able to come up with were very good,” Roddick said. “Maybe I was a bit spacey out there. I wasn’t totally on top of things.

“It’s tough, it’s disappointing, but move on.”

Earlier, top-ranked Lindsay Davenport set up a quarterfinal match with Justine Henin-Hardenne, overcoming left ankle pain to beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-4. The eighth-seeded Henin-Hardenne beat Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-0, 6-3.

In another men’s match, fourth-seeded David Nalbandian reached the quarterfinals, beating Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-0, 2-6, 6-2.

With defending champion Marat Safin, second-ranked Rafael Nadal, four-time winner Andre Agassi out because of injuries and No. 3 Lleyton Hewitt ousted in the second round, Roddick was considered the top contender to topple favorite Roger Federer.

But Baghdatis went for everything.

Serving for the match at 5-4 in the fourth, Baghdatis smacked consecutive forehand winners and had triple match point when Roddick ripped a backhand return into the net.

Cheered on by dozens of supporters dressed in blue and white clothes, Baghdatis ended the match with a crosscourt forehand – his 63rd winner.

“To have the crowd support – it’s incredible,” Baghdatis said.

After the match, Baghdatis raced over to his cheering section, including relatives and friends, and whipped them up by waving his arms up and down. Organizing tickets for them at Rod Laver Arena was not easy, but worthwhile.

“I buy some of them, and some of them they buy,” he said. “They’re like a family to me, my cousins, uncles, my coach, my girlfriend.”

Davenport finished off Kuznetsova in 59 minutes, winning on her second match point.

The 2000 Australian Open winner swept through the first set in 18 minutes, losing only two points on her serve and breaking Kuznetsova twice.

In the second set, Davenport raced to a 3-0 lead before Kuznetsova rallied, reeling off four consecutive games.

During that time, a clearly frustrated Davenport sought treatment for her left ankle, asking the trainer to remove and replace heavy strapping. She twisted the ankle in her last match and her movement was hampered in the second set.

“I sprained it a little bit the other day,” said Davenport. “It was just a little bit swollen. I kind of jammed it on one shot. Hopefully, it will have time to get better.”

Davenport, a finalist last year in the Australian Open and Wimbledon, said she is playing better now than she was in 2000, when she captured her last Grand Slam singles title at Melbourne Park.

“I feel like I’m playing some of my best tennis,” Davenport said. “It’s unfortunate that all the other girls are playing so much better. This is the highest level we’ve ever competed at.”