Legg Mason Classic: Andy Roddick advanced to the final for the fourth time, beating John Isner 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-5 yesterday in Washington.
The top-seeded Roddick is a three-time winner of the event. He will face last year's champion, No. 2 seed Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (2), 6-3.
Roddick and Isner were even through most of the third set until Roddick broke Isner to go up 6-5.
Isner had skirted trouble earlier in the set. He faced break point at 4-all before he fought back and closed out the game with his 19th ace. He was not as lucky his next service game, hitting an attempted crosscourt forehand into the net on the second break point.
Roddick then closed out the match, finishing with a backhand winner down the line.
Isner faced five break points in the third set. Roddick only faced two break points in the match, saving both in the third game of the first set.
Both players relied on big serves. Isner had 20 aces and did not double fault, while Roddick had nine aces against one double fault.
Roddick, who entered with a 29-6 record in tiebreakers this year, had a rare tiebreaker loss in the first set.
He wasted no time reasserting himself, getting the first service break of the match in the second set's opening game. He broke Isner a second time for a 5-2 lead, and evened the match with a winner that Isner let go by, thinking it was long before he watched it hit just inside the baseline.
Del Potro picked up his first career win against Gonzalez in four attempts. The two last met in the 2007 Australian Open.
L.A. Women's Championship: Samantha Stosur routed Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-3, 6-2 and advanced to the final in pursuit of her first career singles title yesterday in Carson, Calif.
Stosur is known as a doubles specialist. She has won 22 career titles, achieved the No. 1 ranking and won two Grand Slam mixed titles.
She's enjoying a strong start to the summer hardcourt season, having reached the semifinals last week at Stanford with a three-set win against Serena Williams.
Stosur will seek to end her status as perennial runner-up in the final, where she will play either Maria Sharapova or 10th-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy, who met in a night semifinal.
Stosur has lost in four career singles finals, including one last year in Seoul. A victory today could boost her into the top 15 for the first time from her current ranking of 19th.
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