Roddick ends Stepanek run to claim Memphis title

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Reuters) - American top seed Andy Roddick claimed his first title of the season and a measure of revenge with a 7-5 7-5 victory over Czech Radek Stepanek in the final of the Memphis Championships on Sunday.

Roddick, who lost to Stepanek in the semi-finals of the San Jose Open last week, ended his opponent''s bid for back-to-back title wins when he converted on his second match point to clinch a 27th career title.

Memphis champion in 2002 and runner-up in 2003 and 2007, Roddick got off to bright start with an early break to race 3-0 ahead on his way to securing the first set Stepanek had lost all week.

The American then set up a triple match point in the 12th game of the second set on Stepanek''s serve and while the fifth seed was able to stave off the first of them, the 26-year-old Roddick sealed victory on his next attempt.

(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by John O''Brien)