Roddick downs Haas to win Kooyong Classic title

World number three Andy Roddick fended off four set points in the second set on his way to defeating Germany's Tommy Haas 6-3 7-6 in the final of the invitational Kooyong Classic yesterday.

The victory was the American's first in the eight-man invitational event, which is one of the traditional warm-up tournaments for the Australian Open starting in Melbourne tomorrow.

He lost to world number one Roger Federer in last year's final.

"I come here wanting to win and I think it's great preparation for next week because you are getting into your routine so it becomes second nature," Roddick told reporters.

"I knew it was going to be tough because Tommy had been playing really well and he was trying to push that to a third set."

Roddick, who missed last year's season-ending Masters Cup with a back injury said the enforced break had helped him with his preparations for the year's first grand slam.

"I definitely feel the most prepared I have ever been," he said.

Roddick, who advanced to the final after Nicolas Kiefer rolled his ankle and defaulted after just one game of their match on Friday, used his overpowering serve to get out of tight spots in the evenly-contested match.

Roddick will face Switzerland's Michael Lammer in the first round of the Australian Open, while Haas has been drawn against 14th seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet.