Murray Advances When Roddick Retires At Key Biscayne

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) _ Andy Roddick retired with a strained left hamstring in the first set today, allowing Andy Murray to advance to the semifinals of the Ericsson Open. <br/><br/>Roddick said the

Thursday, March 29th 2007, 8:14 am

By: News On 6

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) _ Andy Roddick retired with a strained left hamstring in the first set today, allowing Andy Murray to advance to the semifinals of the Ericsson Open.

Roddick said the injury occurred in the fifth game lunging at a shot. He called it quits trailing 5-3.

The injury leaves in doubt Roddick's availability for the U.S. Davis Cup team's match against Spain starting April sixth.

Murray's opponent on Friday will be the winner of the match tonight night between second-seeded Rafael Nadal and Number ten Novak Djokovic.

Three-time champion Serena Williams also reached the semifinals, beating Number eight-seeded Nicole Vaidisova 6-1, 6-4.

Williams will play for the fourth day in a row tomorrow night when she faces Number 14 Shahar Peer. A 19-year-old corporal in the Israeli Army, Peer nearly pulled off an upset against Williams in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in January, losing the third set 8-6.

Peer won her first nine games and beat Number 24 Tathiana Garbin 6-0, 6-3.