MEMPHIS, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Second seed Andy Roddick outdueled fellow American James Blake in a clash of Davis Cup teammates Sunday, posting a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 triumph to win the men's crown at the $895,000 Kroger St. Jude indoor event.
Roddick, 19, improved to 4-0 in his four career ATP finals and claimed the $126,000 winner's check. In 2001, his first full year on the tour, the Florida resident won a pair of claycourt titles in back-to-back weeks at Atlanta and Houston. He also added the Washington hardcourt title to his haul.
On Feb. 10 at Oklahoma City, Roddick and Blake each recorded singles victories as the United States completed a 5-0 sweep of Slovakia in the first round of the Davis Cup.
The Roddick-Blake encounter marked the first all-American final in Memphis since Todd Martin defeated Brad Gilbert in 1994. It also was just the fourth all-American final anywhere since 1995 that did not include either Andre Agassi or Pete Sampras.
Roddick had been two games from defeat in his second-round contest with Andre Sa before mounting a comeback against the Brazilian.
Blake, the eighth seed, also battled to advance to his first career tour final, having knocked out top seed Tommy Haas and third seed Jan-Michael Gambill.
The 22-year-old displayed that fighting spirit after being overpowered by Roddick's serve in the opening set. He responded by breaking Roddick's formidable serve in the first game of the second set.
Roddick rifled a backhand past Blake on match point to become the youngest player to win the Memphis title since 1988, when an 18-year-old Agassi accomplished the feat. At 19 years, four months, Roddick also was the youngest player to finish in the top 20 in 2001.
