Swiss tennis star Roger Federer has defeated American Andy Roddick in straight sets in a battle of the world's top two players as they prepare for the first Grand Slam event of the year, the Australian Open.
Number-one Federer downed Roddick, 6-4, 7-5, Saturday to win the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne.
Federer, who has defeated Roddick in nine of their 10 head-to-head matches, is the defending champion in the Open, which gets under way (in Melbourne) on Monday. Federer won three of the four Grand Slam events last year, and he is heavily favored to defend his Australian Open crown.
Britain's Tim Henman edged American Andre Agassi, 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, in a third-place playoff at the Kooyong Classic.
At the Sydney International, top seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia crushed unseeded Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-0 in the final.
On the women's side, number six Alicia Molik got by fellow-Australian Samantha Stosur, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5.
In another women's event today, the Canberra Classic, Serbian teen-ager Ana Ivanovic won her first women's title, defeating Melinda Czink of Hungary, 7-5, 6-1.
Some information provided by AP.
