CINCINNATI - American Andy Roddick secured back-to-back Masters Series titles with a thrilling 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 victory over friend and compatriot Mardy Fish in the $2.45 million Cincinnati final on Sunday.
Seventh seed Roddick, the most prolific player of the north American hardcourt season, saved two match points before prevailing in the deciding set tiebreak 7-4. He went on to claim his 20th victory in 21 matches since losing in the semi-finals of Wimbledon in July.
Roddick's fifth title of the year followed his win at the Montreal Masters Series last week, and takes him to number one in the ATP Champions Race.
After surviving to take the win, seventh-seeded Roddick wished the man who raised him up a happy birthday.
"Happy Birthday, Dad," Roddick said. "I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad, and happy birthday."
Roddick, who will move to number one in the ATP Champions race on Monday, is the player to beat these days, having won three titles on the hard court summer circuit in the US -- Indianapolis, Montreal and Cincinnati.
"It's been a great week and a really tough final," he told reporters. "It's hard to kick the ass of someone you really like."
Fish, 21, was seeking the first title of his career but, despite matching Roddick stride-for-stride in an absorbing encounter, he failed to convert his two break and match points at 5-4 in the third set.
"Mardy's made impressive strides this year and is working hard," said Roddick, who shared a hug with his boyhood friend at the net after the over two hour match. "It's not easy trying to kick someone's (butt) that you like so much. Good job, Mardy with a "D."
Fish stayed at Andy's house in Florida when both were juniors in high school, and the two became friends.
It was also the first time since Patrick Rafter in 1998 that anyone had scooped back-to-back Masters Series victories at Montreal and Cincinnati.
That year, the Australian went on to win the U.S. Open, and 20-year-old Roddick will be hoping to repeat that feat when the year's final grand slam begins on August 25.
It looked as though a combination of fatigue and the awkward task of trying to beat his friend and former high school colleague might bring Roddick down on Sunday.
His timing awry, he surrendered a break of serve in the fifth game of the first set, allowing Fish -- who started with the confidence of a player enjoying the best week of his career -- to establish the advantage.
But slowly Roddick chipped away at Fish's comfort zone.
Two break points for Roddick went begging at 4-3 in the second set but he regrouped to take the tiebreak 7-3 after Fish betrayed the first sign of nerves with a wild forehand.
One moment in the tiebreak -- when the pair exchanged a 'high-five' after Fish lost a stunning point -- also relieved the tension and brought the crowd to its feet.
The ebb and flow of the contest then saw Fish back in control with two match points at 5-4 in the decider but, under immense pressure, Roddick escaped with a service winner and an ace.
The drama demanded another tiebreak as a finale but it again proved unlucky for Fish.
A breathtaking crosscourt pass gave Roddick a mini-break at 3-2 and he never looked back.
-- August 17, 2003