Roddick Makes Successful Start to Title Campaign

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Three-time winner Andy Roddick cruised into the third round of the Artois Championships after a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Radek Stepanek in his opening match at The Queen’s Club.

Roddick fired 12 aces and took full advantage of a break in each set, and the No. 2 seed was pleased with the way he started his grass court campaign.

“I felt really good out there today,” said Roddick. “Looking through the draw, there's probably Stepanek and Karlovic are the two guys you don't want to see in that first round. Maybe Tim as well. I think he's seeded, so it wouldn't be possible. I have no complaints today. I thought I hit it pretty well.”

The former World No. 1, champion at The Queen’s Club between 2003-05, will now meet the winner of the all-British second round clash between Jamie Baker and Alex Bogdanovic.

Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, who lost to Roddick in the 2003 and 2004 finals, made a winning start to his 2007 Artois Championships by defeating Germany’s Michael Berrer. Grosjean came through 6-4, 6-2 to book a second round meeting against No. 8 seed Marat Safin.

Meanwhile, former finalist Ivo Karlovic of Croatia overcame Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-4 to move through to the second round, and French qualifier Jo-Wilfried Tsonga set up a meeting with four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt with a 7-6(2), 6-0 victory over Kristian Pless of Denmark.

In the final match of the day on Centre Court, fifth seed Ivan Ljubicic hit 12 aces en route to a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Danai Udomchoke to move through to the third round, while Gael Monfils defeated wild card Igor Andreev by the same scoreline.