Roddick wins 30th career ATP title

Memphis: US top seed Andy Roddick captured his 30th career ATP title by defeating Milos Raonic 7-6 (9/7), 6-7 (11/13), 7-5 to deny the Canadian his second title in as many weeks.

Eighth-ranked Roddick fired 20 aces to join US legend Jimmy Connors and Germany`s Tommy Haas as three-time winners at the $1.32 million Memphis indoor tournament, which was played alongside a WTA women`s event. Roddick, whose prior Memphis titles came in 2002 and 2009, ranks third among active players in titles -- only Roger Federer with 67 ATP titles and Rafael Nadal with 43 have more. Raonic, a 20-year-old Canadian wild card entrant playing in only his ninth ATP event, won last week at San Jose, becoming the first Canadian in 16 years to claim an ATP singles title. He blasted 32 aces against Roddick in a losing cause.Raonic, who began the year ranked 156th, will jump to about 37th in the rankings, the highest spot ever for a player representing Canada. Roddick, in his 50th ATP final, broke Raonic and held for a 4-1 lead in the final set before the Canadian held and seized three break points in a row in the seventh game. The American responded by saving them all, but handed Raonic another break chance with a double fault and surrendered the point to put the Canadian back into the match. Raonic denied Roddick on a match point in the 10th game and held to 5-5 but Roddick held and then broke Raonic to end the match after two hours and 36 minutes.Roddick had saved two early break points in the first set as each man began showing his powerful serve, Raonic holding with a second-serve ace to 3-3 and Roddick firing his fifth ace to match him, holding to take a 4-3 edge. Raonic fired 17 aces in the first set but squandered two chances to win the set in the tie-breaker, the second on his own serve. Roddick took the final three points, claiming the set on his eighth ace. Raonic fired 11 more aces in the second set, which came down to an epic tie-breaker after each player managed a break. Raonic denied Roddick on a match point with an ace and went on to force a third set. The Canadian never reached a third set at San Jose but was taken to one in his every match at Memphis. Bureau Report