Haas Ends Roddick Streak at ATP Houston

Top-seeded Andy Roddick's troubled 2006 season, and likely his ranking come Monday, hit a new low Friday when the former No. 1 was ousted at the site of some of his greatest triumphs over the past few years, losing 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-4 to No. 5 seed Tommy Haas Friday at the U.S. Claycourt Championships.

Roddick, though not known for his claycourt acumen, was nonetheless attempting to reach his sixth consecutive final at Houston. Roddick couldn't convert two break chances in the final game, with the result a repeat of the 2004 final.

"This is the first time I've left Houston on Friday," Roddick told reporters, adding that he'd be on his boat on Lake Austin Saturday rather than heading to the Masters Series-Monte Carlo, the first big claycourt stop of the French Open run-up. "I'm mad but I'm not upset, if that makes sense. There are minimal questions I asked myself after that match."

Only one other seeded player reached the semis Friday, with No. 7-seeded American Paul Goldstein reporting an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over Spanish claycourt specialist Al Montanes.

Two unseeded players also gained berths into the semifinals with American Mardy Fish earning his first win in four attempts over countryman Vince Spadea 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-2, and Austria's Jurgen Melzer downing Fernando Vicente 7-5, 6-4.

"He got a break but he still had to work hard in the first set (Thursday night), and I was fresh," said Fish, who entering the match was 0-3 versus Spadea, and in the previous round received a walkover against Rainer Schuettler. "I had chances before and just had some stupid points at key times. I still felt I had a chance to win. I just had to play more aggressive on the big points."

Spadea served for the match against Fish, up a set and 5-4.

Saturday's semifinal match-ups will be (5) Haas vs. (WC) Fish (German leads career meetings 2-0), and (7) Goldstein vs. Melzer.