| By Erik Gudris |
Photo Credit: Glyn Kirk/Getty Images
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(June 22nd, 2012) Despite having to play back-to-back matches under extremely windy conditions, Andy Roddick earned a milestone achievement in his career by reaching the finals of the Aegon International at Eastbourne.
With yesterday's rain postponing all men's matches, Roddick was forced into double duty today as he took on Italy's Fabio Fognini in the quarterfinals. Forced to play on tiny Court No. 3, Roddick and Fognini both battled the windy conditions that often pushed the ball around and made serving a tough task. After splitting the first two sets, Roddick missed out on two match point chances at 5-4 before he finally closed out a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win.
A few hours later, Roddick was back on center court to take on Steve Darcis in the semis. Though the wind was just as bad, Roddick managed to break Darcis late in the first set and then went on to take it 6-3. At the start of the second set, Darcis began having back issues and after a trainer was called to assess the Belgian, Darcis ended up retiring down 6-3, 3-1.
The win gave Roddick his 600th career victory making him only the 19th player in the Open Era to achieve that milestone. Roddick enters his first final of the year and will seek his 31st title.
Waiting for Roddick in the finals will be Italy's Andreas Seppi who took on American Ryan Harrison who also had to play two matches in a row to reach this stage. Despite trading early breaks with Seppi, Harrison couldn't hang on to his serve late in the first set and from there Seppi had no trouble closing out a 7-5, 6-1 win.
On the women's side, the gusty conditions played a big factor in the first women's semi as defending champion Marion Bartoli held a 6-4, 4-0 lead over Tamira Paszek. But frustrated by her opponent's deft play especially up at net and the ever-changing wind, Bartoli dropped the second set and then had to be treated for a left quad strain. A final volley from Paszek ended the over three hour match as Paszek won 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to reach her first ever Premier final.
The other semi saw No. 5 seed Angelique Kerber have no trouble either with the wind or her opponent Klara Zakapolova as the German steamrolled her way to a 6-0, 6-3 win in just under an hour. The win is Kerber's 40th so far in 2012 and tomorrow will be her third final of the season having already won the Paris Indoors and Copenhagen.