• Rome Masters

Roddick felled by Simon in Rome

Gilles Simon lines up a forehand © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: ATP Tour Seedings
  
• News: Roddick and Ferrero out of Roland Garros
  
• News: Djokovic powers through as Nadal wobbles
  
• News: Rome tennis seedings
  
• Profile: Andy Roddick

Rome Masters Seedings

Andy Roddick's run at the Rome Masters lasted a mere 82 minutes as the American was sent packing 6-3 6-3 by Gilles Simon.

As first-round opponents go, Roddick could have secured few tougher than the tenacious Frenchman and on his least-favoured surface he was no match for Simon.

The Frenchman demonstrated his excellent court craft throughout the match, producing changes of pace and spin and hitting excellent angles. He worked two breaks of serve in the opening set and Roddick could make no impact.

The American failed to work a break point in the first set, but the second set started in brighter fashion for Roddick as he secured a break of serve.

He continued to adopt an attacking policy by pushing forward to the net, but he provided a target for Simon and the Frenchman produced a string of passing shots to break back.

Roddick had further openings against the Simon serve, but was unable to convert and the Frenchman rammed home his superiority to his opponent on match point when making a rare foray to the net to punch away a crisp volley to seal victory.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga cruised to a 6-3 6-2 win over Marcos Baghdatis and his reward is a second-round meeting with Roger Federer.

The 11th seed Mardy Fish kept the USA flag flying as he battled back from the loss of the first set to secure a 4-6 6-2 6-2 win over Santiago Giraldo.

Viktor Troicki is seeded 15 and he produced a solid effort to battle past former world No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko 6-4 7-5.

Xavier Malisse looked frustrated with the blustery conditions, but did enough to beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5 6-2.

There were also wins for Igor Andreev, Jarko Nieminen, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Polito Starace and Lukasz Kubot.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.