Roddick reaches second round in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Top-seed Andy Roddick defeated James Blake Wednesday and gained the second round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships tennis event in Memphis.

The two Americans battled for nearly 2 hours before Roddick emerged with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3) victory. Roddick, a two-time Memphis champion, blasted 22 aces.

Latvian Ernests Gulbis knocked off the No. 3 seed, Czech Radek Stepanek, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 in a second-round match.

Belgian Xavier Malisse took out the fourth seed, German Tommy Haas, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a first-round match.

American John Isner beat Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-4 and German Philipp Petzschner topped Kazakhstan's Evgeny Korolev 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) in second-round matches.

Other winners were American Sam Querrey and Argentina's Leonardo Mayer in the opening round.