Roddick has also won titles in Dubai and San Jose this year

Top seed Andy Roddick saw off a determined challenge from unsung Dudi Sela to win the China Open in Beijing.

The American, 26, came through 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 in the men's final for the 26th ATP Tour title of his career.

Serbia's Jelena Jankovic beat Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-2 in the women's final.

Jankovic now moves to within 21 points of world number one Serena Williams, with both women due to play at next week's Stuttgart Grand Prix.

Unseeded Sela, the first Israeli to play an ATP final since 2000, recovered from 4-6 down in the tiebreak to take the match to a deciding set.

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But Roddick broke the world number 92 in the sixth game and shortly after closed out the match with his 17th ace.

"I had in the back of my mind that I'd played 30-40 finals and that this was his first one, so I knew that would count for something," said Roddick.

"I wanted to stay in there and compete, even though he was the hot player for the majority of the day. At the end of the day, a win is a win and I'm happy with that," he added.

The first three games of the match passed without a single point against the server, but Sela was eventually broken and that was enough to cost him the set.

Kuznetsova could not repeat last week's win over Jankovic in Tokyo

After taking the tiebreak, Sela's confidence increased and he kept Roddick guessing by mixing up the pace of his strokes and lobbing effectively.

But the favourite made the decisive break when he managed to pick up a well-played drop-shot and Sela put his attempted pass wide.

Despite his defeat, Sela was satisfied with his performance, saying: "I showed myself that I can play with the big players.

"You know it's a lot of pressure when you play against him because you know you have to keep your serve every time."

Kuznetsova had a series of unforced errors to blame for her surrender of the first set with 23-year-old Jankovic proving too powerful in the second for her Russian opponent.

For Jankovic it made up for her defeat to Kuznetsova at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo last week.

"I did what I needed to do to win the match," said Jankovic. "My level of tennis was enough to win.

"If she was not in the top of her game I could not really do anything but I think I played good tactically.

"I really was forcing some of the shots and didn't really allow her to play her game."