Roddick and Baker Fall in Cincinnati

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Roddick and Baker Fall in Cincinnati

By Chris Oddo

(August 14, 2012)--It's official: Andy Roddick can't catch a break.

Injuries got the best of the 29-year-old again today, as the two-time Cincinnati champion dropped his first-round match to lucky loser Jeremy Chardy of France 7-6(4), 6-3 today at the Western and Southern Open.

Roddick last played at the 2012 Olympic Games, where he reached the second round before losing to Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-1.

After dropping a first-set tiebreaker today, Roddick had to seek treatment for an ailing back early in the second set. He would play on, but his mobility was clearly limited.

"Yeah, just a little bit of a back issue the other day in practice," said Roddick. "I was supposed to play yesterday and we had a late request to delay it."

Chardy did not face a break point in the second set and after breaking Roddick to move ahead 4-3, he didn't lose another game.

Chardy will face Denis Istomin in the second round. Istomin raced past Frenchman Julien Benneteau, 6-3, 6-1 on Monday.

As of today, Roddick is unsure about his status for the last U.S. Open warm-up event at Winston-Salem next week. "In a perfect world I'd love to play next week. I feel like I'd benefit from that. That's what we're going to try to do," he said.

Tomic Takes Down Baker in Straight Sets

Highly touted Aussie Bernard Tomic had lost eight of nine matches before arriving in Cincinnati, but his game appears to be on track this week. The 19-year-old backed up his first-round victory over 20-year-old American Ryan Harrison with an impressive 6-4, 6-3 win over Brian Baker to reach the third round.

In a match that was tight from start to finish, Tomic saved all six break points he faced with some surprisingly big serves. "I served my way out of that first set," said Tomic afterwards.

He served his way out of the second set, too.

Baker, the 27-year-old who has captured the imagination of American tennis fans with his return to relevance after an injury-plagued odyssey that left him out of the game for several years, had chances to move ahead at 3-3 in the second set.

But Tomic saved three break points to hold serve, and a visibly upset Baker was broken in the next game.

"I'm much more confident in myself," said Tomic, who credits a willingness to be aggressive in recent weeks as what has helped him get out of his slump.

He has also enlisted the help of a sports psychologist. "He's turned my head around a bit and made me focus more on those big points when I need them, to focus and really convert my energy to win those points," Tomic said in a post-match interview with Ashley Fisher and Ian Eagle. "I've been doing a lot of good work with him and I think it's paying off."

Tomic, currently ranked 49 in the world, will face either Roger Federer or Alex Bogomolov Jr. in the third round. Four-time champion Federer will open his campaign in Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Querrey Defeats Melzer, Haas Upsets Nalbandian

Wildcard Sam Querrey, who has raised his ranking all the way up to 29, came back from a set down to defeat Jurgen Melzer of Austria 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 today. Querrey will face Andy Murray in round two.

Tommy Haas outlasted David Nalbandian in a three-hour, twenty-two minute marathon, 6-7(0), 7-6(4), 6-3 to advance to the second round. Haas blew multiple set points in the first set, then lost sixteen consecutive points against Nalbandian before rebounding to claim the second set in another tiebreaker.

In the third set, Haas converted the break he needed while not facing a break point against the Argentine. The 34-year-old German, who has reached the finals of three of his last six events, will face Juan Martin del Potro in the second round.

(Photo Credit: Mark Corleve)