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Roddick to face Stepanek in final

Andy Roddick
Roddick is chasing a 27th career title

Top seed Andy Roddick beat Australian Lleyton Hewitt to book a clash with Radek Stepanek in the Memphis Championship final.

American Roddick won 2-6 7-6 6-4, while Czech fifth seed Stepanek beat Israel's Dudi Sela 6-3 6-1.

"I was lucky to get through," Roddick said afterwards. "He had me up against it for the better part of the match."

In the women's final, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus beat Danish top seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-1 6-3.

Roddick, 26, hit half his 16 aces in the second set and six more in the third and has reached the semi-finals at all four events this year, though he has yet to claim a title.

He is through to his fourth final at Memphis, where he triumphed in 2002, and said: "I'd love to win this tournament again. It has been a long time."

Stepanek won last week in San Jose and has not lost a set this week.

But the world number 21 has only beaten sixth-ranked Roddick once in their five meetings.

I feel confident, and I want to keep going the same way. I think I deserve it because I worked really hard

Victoria Azarenka
"I'm feeling great on the court," Stepanek said. "With every match, the confidence grows and grows. I'm very happy for that.

"I'm healthy, I'm not having problems with my body, which is very important for me, and I can build on that."

Azarenka was far too strong for Wozniacki, overpowering her at the start of the second set to take 12 out of 14 points and move into a 4-1 lead.

Wozniacki then had treatment on an ankle injury and could not find a way back into the match, with second seed Azarenka sealing victory when the Dane hit a forehand long.

The win follows her triumph in Brisbane in January and will move Azarenka up to 11th in the world rankings.

She said afterwards: "It feels really good - what can feel better than winning another title?

"I feel confident, and I want to keep going the same way. I think I deserve it because I worked really hard."

Azarenka and Wozniacki then teamed up to beat Yuliana Fedak and Michaela Krajicek 6-1 7-6 (7-2) in the doubles final.

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see also
Keothavong falls to semi defeat
21 Feb 09 |  Tennis


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