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Journalism of Courage
American fifth seed Andy Roddick followed compatriot Andre Agassi out of the Rome Masters on Wednesday, losing his second-round match against big-serving Dutch qualifier Martin Verkerk 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Roddick’s exit ended America’s presence at the clay court tournament. The only other U.S. player left in the draw, Mardy Fish, succumbed earlier to Felix Mantilla 6-4, 6-3.
Mantilla was one of five Spanish players to reach the last 16, including second seed Juan Carlos Ferrero, whose metronomic groundstrokes dispatched 1997 winner Alex Corretja 6-4, 6-4, seventh-seeded Albert Costa — a 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 winner over Frenchman Arnaud Clement — and third seed Carlos Moya, who defeated Max Mirnyi 6-4, 6-4.
Swiss No.4 seed Roger Federer played a patchy game to beat Argentina’s Mariano Zabaleta 7-6, 6-2.
Gaston Gaudio continued his impressive run with a 6-4, 6-2 win over fellow Argentine Agustin Calleri while David Ferrer Ferrer went out, surrendering tamely to Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic 6-2, 6-3. (Reuters)
