Defending champion Andy Roddick advanced without difficulty Tuesday while Britain's Andy Murray was drummed out with ease at the 2.2 million-dollar ATP Cincinnati Masters. Third seed Roddick, given a bye into the second round, booked the first spot in the third round as he unleashed 13 aces to swamp Spain's Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.
Murray continued to struggle as he recovers from a wrist injury, losing 6-1, 6-2 to unseeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, who needed a mere 48 minutes to send the Scotsman to a lopsided loss for a second straight week.
Roddick improved to 8-2 over Verdasco and left the American at 25-5 at this US Midwest tournament, which he won in 2003 and 2006. "It feels like home here," said Roddick. "That counts for a lot. I got better as the match went on, that's better than the alternative."
After a combatative opening set, Roddick began the second set with a break and added another for insurance to advance in 76 minutes. "I think my serve also improved," Roddick said. "That's been something that has not worked so well for the last few weeks." Murray said he will train before going to next week's event in New Haven, his last chance to prepare before the US Open starts on August 27.
"I've only played a few matches since I came back," he said. "The movement and the anticipation are the things that might take a bit of time to come back."
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