Rome – 1R

Andy Roddick [12] playing his 200th tournament at the main level, suffered an early exit being ousted in straight sets (3-6, 3-6) by Gilles Simon [19], who finished the match with forehand passing-shot and high backhand volley. It is fourth consecutive defeat for Roddick – he hasn’t got such a bad streak since 2002! # “He moves very well, which you don’t want to see when you are short of matches like I was today, when you are not getting clean hits,” said Roddick.
In the most dramatic first round encounter, Sergiy Stakhovsky [36] saved a triple match point in the deciding tie-break against Victor Hanescu [65] winning 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(6). Stakhovsky becomes a specialist of winning deciding tie-breaks out of nowhere. During the last year’s US Open he beat Ryan Harrison despite 3:6 in the 5th set tie-break, last week prevailed against Albert Montanes, trailing 0:4 in the 3rd set tie-break.
In an unusual meeting between two lucky losers Jarkko Nieminen (replaced Gael Monfils,  was seeded No. 10 – sickness) overcame in three sets Adrian Mannarino (replaced Kei Nishikori – kidney stone).  Again it’s tough to expect that a local favorite will reach quarterfinals in Rome, in the first round appeared seven Italians and four of them have been already defeated. Although a nice surprise produced qualifier Paolo Lorenzi [148], overcoming in two sets Thomaz Bellucci, who reached semifinal in Madrid a week ago where was a set and a break up against Djokovic!

# Roddick’s two worst losing streaks in career:

2002:
US Open: Sampras 3-6 2-6 4-6, Davis Cup: Clement 6-4 6-7(6) 6-7(5) 1-6, Grosjean 4-6 6-3 3-6 4-6, Madrid: Youzhny 3-6 4-6
2011:
Indian Wells: Gasquet 3-6 6-7(5), Miami: Cuevas 4-6 6-7(4): Madrid: Cipolla 4-6 7-6(7) 3-6, Rome: Simon 3-6 3-6