Roddick sees off Safin in heavyweight clash

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) Sixth seed Andy Roddick outgunned former champion Marat Safin 7-6 2-6 6-4 7-6 in the first heavyweight clash of the Australian Open today.

Roddick took control of the third-round match when he stormed through the first-set tiebreak 7-2 and although Safin hit back to level in a second set featuring four breaks of serve, the American kept his composure.

He made a late break in the third set and dominated the fourth-set tiebreak, sealing it 7-2 on his first match point to wrap up victory in three hours and 12 minutes.

''When I saw the draw (and Safin in the third round) I said, no not me,'' Roddick said in a courtside interview. ''Last time he was here he was holding up the trophy. I knew I would have to play well or I'd be going home.

''This is a tough slam, you come out and get matches like this and to get through a tough one like this is what it's all about.'' Roddick also paid tribute to his coach Jimmy Connors, who was watching in the stands after missing his first two matches to stay in the US following the death of his mother.

The defeat ended Safin's nine-match winning streak at the tournament. After his victory in 2005 he missed last year's event due to a knee injury.

The first set went with serve to 3-3 before Safin broke Roddick to love.

The American hit straight back to level and the set ended with a tiebreak in which Roddick raced into a 5-2 lead and sealed it with an ace on his first set point.

The surly Safin, strangely subdued in the early stages, was inspired at the start of the second set, sealing his second successive break with a brilliant running forehand down the line to open a 4-0 lead.

The 24-year-old Roddick got one break back but the 26-year-old Safin took the American's serve again to clinch the set.

CUT FINGER The match never quite lived up to its billing and Safin began to lose his cool after suffering a cut finger as he dived to make a volley and lay prone on the court for several seconds.

Play was stopped to allow the Russian to get treatment and he returned to hold serve but at 4-4 and with another tiebreak looming Roddick benefited from an outrageous net cord to break Safin's serve and he held his own to love to pocket the set.

Light rain fell on Rod Laver Arena and, after the court had been dried, Safin lost his temper and received a warning when he complained about the match referee's decision to continue.

Safin, who was taken to five sets in the first two rounds, continued to argue with the umpire between games but he held his game together as the pair held serve through to 4-4.

Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, created three break points for a 5-4 lead but Safin held firm and the set headed for another tiebreak.

Roddick once again seized the initiative, racing into a 5-2 lead and he sealed victory on his first match point when Safin netted a backhand.

Roddick, who moved 4-3 ahead of Safin in their career head-to-heads, will play ninth seed Mario Ancic of Croatia in the last 16. He has twice reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park, in 2003 and 2005.

Reuters SAM DB1827