Fourth-seeded American Andy Roddick shrugged off a slow start to surge to a three-set victory over Gilles Muller in the final of the ATP’s Atlanta Open on Sunday.
Roddick defeated the left-hander from Luxembourg 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 to claim his second title of 2012 after a victory at Eastbourne in England.
Muller, seeking a first career ATP crown, broke Roddick twice in the opening set, after which the 29-year-old American called for a trainer and had treatment on his right shoulder.
It seemed to help, and Roddick didn’t face a break point in the second set. He finished with 18 aces, just shy of Muller’s 20.
Muller, trailing 5-6 and serving to force a tiebreaker, delivered two of his 10 double faults as he fell into a 0-40 hole.
He saved four set points in the game to knot the set at 6-6, but quickly fell behind in the ensuing tiebreaker as Roddick forced a third set.
From that point on, Roddick was rolling. He broke Muller twice in the third to take a 5-2 lead and sealed the victory with a love game.
He denied Muller’s bid to become the first first-time winner on the ATP Tour this season.
Muller, who was playing in his first ATP final since 2005, now has three runner-up finishes on his resume.