- News>
- Tennis
Roddick up next for Rusedski
Halle, June 12: Greg Rusedski`s rehabilitation from injury will be tested to the full when he takes on explosive American Andy Roddick on Centre Court on Thursday.
Halle, June 12: Greg Rusedski's rehabilitation from injury will be tested to the full when he takes on explosive American Andy Roddick on Centre Court on Thursday.
The British number two gave his best performance since a nine-month lay-off when he despatched Hicham Arazi 6-4 6-4 on Wednesday. The 29-year-old's serve was almost back to its fearsome best and he looked sharp at the net in beating the experienced Moroccan.
Rusedski gave Roddick a grasscourt lesson when the pair met in the third round at Wimbledon last year, but the American has improved considerably since then and will start as a slight favourite. Roddick eased past Rik de Voest in the second round without ever really extending himself and is a serious contender for the title both here and at Wimbledon.
Tim Henman will be looking to improve on his wobbly second-round performance when he takes on Cyril Saulnier of France. The seventh seed was taken to a third-set tiebreak by Italian Davide Sanguinetti and afterwards admitted he could be forced to change his serve-volley tactics.
Top seed Lleyton Hewitt will also need to up his game against giant Belgian Dick Norman. The Australian was another who had to rely on a deciding-set tiebreak to get through his first match, against Raemon Sluiter of Holland.
"He gave me a real run for my money but it gives me an opportunity to get another match under my belt," Hewitt said after the second-round game. "The more matches I get before Wimbledon the better it will be for my preparations."
The final match on Centre Court promises to be a treat. It pitches 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajiceck against 1992 winner and world number two Andre Agassi.
Bureau Report
The British number two gave his best performance since a nine-month lay-off when he despatched Hicham Arazi 6-4 6-4 on Wednesday. The 29-year-old's serve was almost back to its fearsome best and he looked sharp at the net in beating the experienced Moroccan.
Rusedski gave Roddick a grasscourt lesson when the pair met in the third round at Wimbledon last year, but the American has improved considerably since then and will start as a slight favourite. Roddick eased past Rik de Voest in the second round without ever really extending himself and is a serious contender for the title both here and at Wimbledon.
Tim Henman will be looking to improve on his wobbly second-round performance when he takes on Cyril Saulnier of France. The seventh seed was taken to a third-set tiebreak by Italian Davide Sanguinetti and afterwards admitted he could be forced to change his serve-volley tactics.
Top seed Lleyton Hewitt will also need to up his game against giant Belgian Dick Norman. The Australian was another who had to rely on a deciding-set tiebreak to get through his first match, against Raemon Sluiter of Holland.
"He gave me a real run for my money but it gives me an opportunity to get another match under my belt," Hewitt said after the second-round game. "The more matches I get before Wimbledon the better it will be for my preparations."
The final match on Centre Court promises to be a treat. It pitches 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajiceck against 1992 winner and world number two Andre Agassi.
Bureau Report