Djokovic advances at U.S. Open, Roddick extends career

Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Defending champion Novak Djokovic and 2003 titlist Andy Roddick were among the third-round winners Sunday at the U.S. Open.

The second-seeded former world No. 1 Djokovic drubbed No. 31 Julien Benneteau of France 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in 97 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Serbian has reached the round of 16 here for the sixth straight year.

Next up for the 25-year-old Djokovic will be Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, the No. 18 seed. Wawrinka, a 2010 U.S. Open quarterfinalist, advanced Sunday with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over 14th-seeded Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov.

Roddick, meanwhile, beat Italian Fabio Fognini 7-5, 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-4 to extend his career at least one more match.

The 20th-seeded American, who announced he would retire after the year's final major, raced out to a 5-2 lead before Fognini captured the next three games to even the first set.

After fighting off a break point with an ace, Roddick held serve to go up 6-5 and then took the first set when Fognini sent a backhand volley into the net.

The duo exchanged breaks to begin the second set before holding serve the rest of the way, resulting in a tiebreak dominated by Roddick. The third set remained on serve until Fognini earned a break in the decisive 10th game, forcing a fourth set.

Fognini faced two break points in the seventh game. He save one but lost the other when he fired a ball into the net, giving Roddick a 4-3 lead. Roddick consolidated the break with a hold at 15 and finished off the three-hour match in his next service game. An ace gave him triple match point and he held off retirement with another unreturnable serve.

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