Andy Roddick of the U.S. holds up his trophy as he celebrates winning against Nicolas Mahut of France during their singles final at the Artois tennis championships at Queen's Club in west London yesterday. - Reuters

LONDON (AP):

Andy Roddick saved a match point in the second set before beating Nicolas Mahut 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (2) yesterday to win his fourth title at the Queen's Club grasscourt championship.

The second-seeded American, who also won the Wimbledon warm-up tournament from 2003-05, is the fourth player to win four titles at Queen's Club. Lleyton Hewitt, Boris Becker and John McEnroe have also done that.

"I think it's nice winning at tournaments that you really enjoy playing at," Roddick said.

"To have won four is great. I'll have a number of chances to get five.

"My focus right now is on getting number one at Wimbledon."

Mahut, who is 0-2 against Roddick but beat French Open champion Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals, was not broken once in the match.

Roddick, who served 24 aces, had only one break point. That came at 4-4 in the opening set, but Mahut hit a low forehand volley to force an error. Mahut then earned the only break of the match to claim the set when Roddick's attempt to send a winner down the line fell wide.

Games went with serve in the second set before Roddick faced a match point at 7-6 in the tie-breaker, but Mahut netted a forehand and then made another forehand error to drop the set.

"I was one point away to put my name on the trophy," Mahut said. "It was just an easy passing shot like I hit a thousand passing like that. But it's easier when you practise. When you have to make it to win the tournament, it's another shot."

Both players also held serve easily in the final set.

"I don't know if I was on top up until maybe 3-0 in the breaker," Roddick said. "I felt like I returned pretty well, but that was just a volleying display I felt like he put on there today. I was lucky to get out of there."

Jankovic too hot for Sharapova

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP)

Jelena Jankovic won her fourth title of the year yesterday, beating Maria Sharapova 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the grasscourt DFS Classic.

Both players had to win semi-final matches earlier in the day at the rain-affected tournament. Sharapova also had two matches Saturday.

"I can't complain. I came for five warm-up matches and I got them," Sharapova said. "I felt I would find a little more energy but I wasn't able to do it on a consistent basis. And when that happened, I would hesitate for a second."

Despite falling behind after the first set, Jankovic came back to win her first title on grass.

"I felt a little bit flat some of the time to be honest," said Jankovic, a French Open semi-finalist who has won on three different surfaces this season. "But I always fight, no matter what the score and in the final set I became more like the player I am." Earlier, Sharapova beat Marion Bartoli of France 7-5, 6-0 in the semi-finals, and Jankovic defeated Mara Santangelo of Italy 6-1, 7-5.

Bartoli, who completed her suspended quarter-final match early yesterday, beat third-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.