Andy Roddick reached the second round of the Lyon Grand Prix with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 victory over Nicolas Mahut.
Roddick and Gasquet through to Lyon 2nd round
Top seed Andy Roddick reached the second round of the Lyon Grand Prix with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 victory over Frenchman Nicolas Mahut on Tuesday.
The American, sixth in the race for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, began his bid to secure one of three remaining places by outgunning the local favourite.
"I like this surface, which is quite fast," the 2003 US Open champion said.
"When you look at the score, you can say I had the match under control but there was this mini break in the tiebreak against me.
"I'm in a good position to go to Shanghai but you never know what can happen behind me.
"Before the last tournament in Paris (next week), I prefer to have all the cards in my hands."
Roddick, a former world number one, failed to convert three break points in the first set but managed to take it by winning the tie break 7-5.
He then broke decisively in the ninth game of the second set to win in one hour and 18 minutes.
Roddick faces either compatriot Robby Ginepri or French wildcard Sebastien Grosjean, who meet later on Tuesday.
Second seed Frenchman Richard Gasquet needed longer on court to eventually see off Colombian qualifier Santiago Giraldo 5-7 6-3 7-6 to set up a second-round encounter with Belgian Steve Darcis, who upset Czech Radek Stepanek on Monday.
