Black Tennis Pros

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Davis Cup teammates Andy Roddick John Isner will face off in the third round after they posted back-to-back wins on Stadium One, Sunday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open.

World No. 8 Roddick, who dropped serve once during the one-hour, 30-minute match, broke James Blake to go up 6-5 in the second set and proceeded to clinch the 6-3, 7-5 victory with his 13th ace.

“I thought it was okay,” he said. “It was tough to get a gauge on how I was playing because James was playing so aggressively. From the first game I realized his strategy was any time; he didn't want to let me get a rhythm. I felt like he was coming out of his shoes. It was tough, but the numbers looked good afterwards. I felt like I was hitting the ball okay, so it worked out.”

It was Roddick’s eighth win in 11 matches against Blake, a former World No. 4 who has dropped to a No. 158 ranking after an injury-plagued 2010 season.

“I definitely think we've gotten closer over the course of our careers,” he said of their relationship. “Spending so many weeks early on when we were the only two young U.S. guys who were at tournaments, so we naturally, I guess kind of gravitated towards each other. And then being on the team together for so long, he's one of my favorite people. He's someone who I always cheer for.”

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A very determined 17-year-old-wild-card Sloane Stephens waged a good battle during second round play at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday, but was defeated 6-3, 6-2 by WTA World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

Stephens was able to break Wozniacki's serve twice, but was not able to prevent her own serve from being broken five times, thus enabling Wozniacki to quickly move out front and take the match.

Post match Wozniacki said, “I felt like the timing was not quite there yet, but I think Sloane, she took her chances - she played well. She's a newcomer, and I definitely see a lot of potential in her. But I would like, of course, just to go match by match try to develop my game.”

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INDIAN WELLS, California — Fifth seeded Andy Murray and sixth seed David Ferrer were joined on the sidelines by defending champion Ivan Ljubicic as all three lost their opening matches Saturday at Indian Wells.

American qualifier Donald Young upset world number five Murray 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in the second round of the WTA and ATP Masters 1000 tournament.

Scotsman Murray looked rusty in his opening match at Indian Wells and in his first career meeting against the 21-year-old Young. Murray has now lost the last six sets he has played.

"I started the match well but then when it got close I didn't do anything to lift myself," said Murray. "The crowd was for him and then he started to play better and I didn't play my way back into the match."

It marked the first victory over a top-10 opponent for Young, who has a 3-3 record this year.

Courtside Donald Young said, ""It's by far the biggest win of my career."

Young advanced to the third round, where he will face Tommy Robredo of Spain who beat Mischa Zverev 6-3, 3-6. 7-5.

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American James Blake came back to defeat Australian Chris Guccione 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 Friday night at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, following a special Salute to Heroes ceremony featuring The National 9/11 Flag flown at Ground Zero.

Blake dropped the opening set, but quickly regrouped to take a 2-0 lead in the second. He broke Guccione two more times in the third set to clinch the victory in one hour and 35 minutes.

The win ensured a blockbuster second-round clash between Blake and top American Andy Roddick, both past finalists at the year’s first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament. It will be the 11th meeting between the pair (Roddick leads 7-3).

The 31-year-old Blake entered this year’s BNP Paribas Open with his lowest ranking since his 2000 desert debut, having dropped to No. 158 after an injury-plagued season in 2010. Meanwhile, World No. 8 Roddick has won seven straight matches, clinching his 30th ATP World Tour title in Memphis and leading the U.S. into the Davis Cup quarter-finals.

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