At the end of the two hour match, which ended in a 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-5) win for the American, Lapentti accused Roddick of exaggerating leg cramps late in the third set and of playing mind games.

With tempers reaching boiling point, officials stepped in to separate the pair as they argued at the net and escorted a seething Lapentti off the court.

"I think tennis is a sport where you have to be a gentleman," said the unseeded Lapentti.

"It's not the first time he's done it. He did it against (Michael) Chang at the French Open.

"I am sure he had cramps. But, when you have cramps like he did and you almost fall to the floor, you can't come back and hit an overhead like he did twice, or run for a drop shot like he did," said Lapentti.

"He is young and he's going to be out there for a while, someone has to teach him."

Roddick, cramping badly in last year's French Open, bravely outlasted Chang in a five-set, second-round marathon.

"I don't want him to be mad at me, it was nothing intentional," said Roddick.

"I guess he was expressing his disappointment in me calling the trainer at 5-4 in the third. But I'd like to think most players on the tour would do the same thing if it meant staying in the match.

"I'm sure that maybe in a week or two we'll be able to talk about it when it's not the heat of the moment."