• Sony Ericsson Open

Roddick stages fightback to overcome Nadal

Andy Roddick was broken just once by Rafael Nadal © Getty Images

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Rafael Nadal's wait for a first Sony Ericsson Open title goes on after Andy Roddick fought back from a set down to snatch Friday's semi-final out of his grasp.

Nadal was bidding to become the first Spaniard to win the Miami tournament, having lost twice in previous finals in 2005 and 2008. And the former world No. 1 appeared to be back to his very best form in the first set against Roddick, taking a 6-4 advantage.

However, Roddick suddenly upped the risk factor in his game, taking plenty more chances from the baseline in sets two and three, and it paid off as his never-say-die attitude earned a 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory.

Roddick went into the match in better form off the back of his Brisbane triumph earlier in the year, and he had not dropped a set going into Friday's duel with Nadal. The big-serving world No. 8 had also been broken just once in the entire tournament, holding serve in 37 of 38 games, yet that record was tarnished within minutes in the semi-final.

Nadal broke almost instantaneously for a 3-1 advantage, and that was all that was needed to take the first set. Roddick fired down eight aces and created a break point of his own, but he spent the majority of his time playing spectator at the net as Nadal's forehand passed him with laser-like accuracy.

The pair's head-to-head on hard courts was 2-2 going into the match, and Roddick had won more ATP Tour matches in the calendar year of 2010 than any other player in the men's rankings. The American was not about to capitulate and, after letting an early break chance slip in the second set, he finally found a way back into the match by breaking to love in game eight to serve for one set all.

The momentum was now with Roddick as two more break points came his way in the third game of the deciding set, thanks to a beautiful lob after Nadal failed to put away a backhand volley. The No. 6 seed threw away his first chance when a forehand went long but he maintained the pressure on his second chance and Nadal cracked.

At 3-2 in the third Nadal showed the first visible signs of frustration, battering his legs at the change-over as if to try and induce some life in his creaking limbs. Roddick's serve was unsympathetic though, chalking up 15 aces by the end of the contest, and he sewed up victory by breaking Nadal one more time.

Roddick is joined in the final by Tomas Berdych, who continued his giant-killing run with a 6-2 6-2 victory over fifth-seed Robin Soderling in the night match.

Berdych added Soderling's scalp to that of Roger Federer and Fernando Verdasco in his Miami jaunt, although this top ten opponent put up far less of a fight than the preview two. Soderling was well below his best while Berdych thrilled the crowd with a variety of winners from the baseline and the net.

The best of them all brought up match point as Berdych chased down yet another ball from Soderling's volley into the opposite corner. Not only did the Czech get there, he returned a forehand up the line just inches about the net and inside the line at the corner.

The shot typified his effort and the final, like Roddick's semi, will be a clash of contrasting styles between a hitter and a retriever. Roddick has won five of seven previous contests between the two.

Berdych said after the match: "In all my matches with Robin in the past I've been too defensive… if you give him time to hit the ball hard it's really tough. I wanted to play more aggressive, but without making mistakes."

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