Berdych Hammers Roddick, Stepanek Cruises Past Blake in Dusseldorf

By Chris Oddo

(May 22, 2012)—Americans took a stone-cold thumping in Dusseldorf at the Power Horse World Team Cup in Germany today. 

Looking to get some much-needed clay-court action under their belts, Roddick and Blake are a part of an American team that has yet to score a point in five matches.

Today Roddick was up against it from the beginning as he faced one of only two top ten players in the competition, Tomas Berdych. The world No. 7 out-aced Roddick 12-0 and did not lose a single point on his first serve (23 of 23). 

Blake, who hasn’t won a tour-level match in 2012, was beaten soundly by Radek Stepanek in under an hour.

In five matches, the Americans have lost 10 of 11 sets against the Argentines and the Czechs. 

In other action, Viktor Troicki and Janko Tipsarevic combined to take out Russia and Florian Mayer defeated Ivan Dodig to stake host nation Germany to a 1-0 lead over Croatia.

Germany has the all-time lead at the event since it began in 1978 with five titles.  Irt