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Roddick through as seeds tumble in Memphis

Andy Roddick has the perfect chance to win in Memphis © Getty Images

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Andy Roddick ended a three-match losing streak against James Blake to progress to the second round of the ATP Morgan Keegan Championships.

Roddick held his nerve in a deciding tie-breaker to overcome his fellow American 6-3 4-6 7-6(3), but the top seed was one of the few success stories among the seeds as two big names crashed out in Memphis. Both Radek Stepanek and Tommy Haas, third and fourth seeds respectively, departed the competition as the field opened for Roddick.

Stepanek's second-round defeat came at the hands of Latvian Ernests Gulbis, who triumphed 7-6(5) 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals. Gulbis's serve proved to be the crucial factor as the youngster smashed 20 unanswered serves past a helpless Stepanek.

Haas put up more of a fight in his second-round loss to Xavier Malisse, who delivered a 6-4 3-6 6-4 victory for Belgian tennis. Eight double faults crippled Haas' challenge as he surrendered 18 break point opportunities to Malisse.

Mardy Fish and Jarkko Nieminen are also out of the competition after defeats to Leonardo Mayer and sixth seed John Isner respectively, while No. 8 seed Sam Querrey joined Roddick in round two with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Rajeev Ram.

In the Open 13 in Marseille, fourth seed Tommy Robredo was sent tumbling out by Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-2 3-6 6-1. The world No. 92 stunned his opponent, taking the first set with two breaks of serve. Robredo saved four set points in the second to level, and despite creating more break opportunities in the deciding set, it was his German opponent who took his opportunities and progressed to the third round.

Zverev had lost all five of his previous matches in 2010, but victory over the world No. 17, who beat Andy Murray in the Hopman Cup at the beginning of January, will give him confidence in his next round, where he could face Rotterdam finalist Mikhail Youzhny.

Seventh seed Marcos Baghdatis crashed out at the hands of Frenchman Michael Llodra 7-6(8) 6-4. The Cypriot created seven break opportunities in the opening set, but after only converting one of them it was decided by a tie-breaker in Llodra's favour.

Despite serving three aces and hitting 81 per cent of his serves in, Baghdatis had no answer to the Frenchman, who was in control in the second set, losing just three points on serve. Llodra will now face the winner of the match between No. 1 seed Robin Soderling and Sergiy Stakhovsky in the quarter-finals.

Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was in fearsome form as he defeated fellow Frenchman Josselin Ouanna 7-6 6-4, winning 89% of the points on his first serve and sending down 19 aces.

Julien Benneteau continued his impressive run of form in front of his home crowd, beating fellow Frenchman Florent Serra 6-4 6-4. The eighth seed could now face compatriot and No. 3 seed Gael Monfils in the quarter-finals.

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