Sela Denies Roddick 30th Win At The Queen's Club
Israel Dudi Sela, the No. 14 seed, knocked out four-time former champion Andy Roddick of the United States 6-4, 7-6(8) on Thursday for a quarter-final against German Rainer Schuettler at the AEGON Championships.
"I played very well," said Sela. "I thought that I didn't serve well, but after the match my coach told me that I served 14 aces, so for me it's really good."
Roddick, who hit 10 aces and saved five of six break points, squandered two set point opportunities at 6-5 (backhand volley error) and 7-6 (Sela backhand winner) in the tie-break. Sela missed his first match point at 8-7 when he miss-timed a backhand. At 8-8, Roddick hit a backhand into the net and Sela clinched his second opportunity with a diving volley for victory in one hour and 47 minutes.
"He played great," admitted Roddick. "Credit to him. I think he had a very specific game plan, and I thought he executed it very well and never dug himself a hole on any service games, never had any sloppy errors.
"I think I could have done some things differently, but I thought he played a pretty perfect match. I've played worse at this tournament before and gotten through and won it before. I feel fine about the way I'm hitting the ball and constructing points."
World No. 63 Sela, making his second appearance in three years at The Queen's Club, denied Roddick his 30th victory at the ATP World Tour 250 grass-court tennis tournament and his 30th win of the 2010 season. Last year Roddick reached his third Wimbledon final, when he lost to Roger Federer 16-14 in the fifth set.