Top seed Roddick eases through in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Feb 22 (Reuters) Top seed Andy Roddick eased past former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson 6-2 7-5 to reach the Memphis International second round.

The world No. 4 stormed through the first set and though world number 88 Johansson battled hard in the second, the American clinched victory in 77 minutes.

''I started off really well in the first set but I think he started serving better in the second set,'' Roddick told reporters.

''That made it tough but I think I played pretty well overall.'' Swede Johansson, out of action for two and a half months in 2006 after being hit in the eye by a ball, was well below par early on, making a series of mistakes to hand Roddick the advantage.

The second set was a much closer affair and Roddick had to save a break point before a backhand pass gave him the vital break in the 11th game and he served out for victory.

Roddick next plays German Benjamin Becker, a 2-6 6-3 6-4 winner over American Robert Kendrick.

Ivo Karlovic, a finalist in San Jose last week, slumped to a 6-3 6-2 first-round defeat by American wild card Sam Querrey.

The 6-foot-10 Croat dropped his serve on three occasions -- as many times as in the entire San Jose tournament -- and Querrey also outaced him 17 to five.

Karlovic said he had been bothered by the right knee injury which kept him out for almost six months in 2006.

''Yesterday, I hurt my knee again and I couldn't practise,'' he said. ''Today it was a little better but still I could not play 100 percent and it was painful.'' Karlovic said he would have to withdraw from next week's Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas, but did not expect to be out for too long.

''I think it is normal (after such an injury) because last week I played a lot of matches. It is normal that it hurts a little. Hopefully I will be ready for (the Masters Series events in) Indian Wells and Miami.'' Querrey, the world number 92, will play Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the second round.

Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili became the first man into the quarter-finals after he edged American Alex Kuznetsov 5-7 6-3 6-4, putting him into the last eight of an ATP Tour event for the first time.

Austrian Stefan Koubek joined him the last eight, coming from 5-2 down and saving a set point before beating Russian qualifier Evgeny Korolev 7-6 6-2.

Third seed Andy Murray, who won the title in San Jose last week, takes on Canadian Frank Dancevic in another first-round battle.

REUTERS PDS RN0749