Memphis,March 1: Andy Roddick dropped his quarterfinal match to eighth-seeded Robin Soderling, in straight sets, at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships.

Roddick was behind for most of the first set, but fought for a tiebreaker. However, the Swedish Soderling rallied to take the first set, and clinched the match in the second for a 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 win. Roddick was fresh off his title in San Jose, and had captured this Memphis event in 2002 -- and was runner-up last year and in 2003. But the American dropped his first-ever ATP match against Soderling, who is coming off his runner-up finish in Rotterdam last week.

Soderling's semifinal opponent will be fourth-seeded Radek Stepanek, who encountered trouble in the first set but managed a straight-sets win over Aussie Chris Guccione. The Czech Stepanek won the first set in a tiebreak, and rolled through the second to win 7-6 (7-4), 6-1. Stepanek was last week's San Jose runner-up to Roddick.

In other quarterfinal matches at the Racquet Club of Memphis, Jonas Bjorkman came from behind to beat American teenager Donald Young 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6). The 35-year-old Swede will face Belgian Steve Darcis in Saturday's semifinals, as the 23-year-old Darcis moved into the final four by dispatching German Benjamin Becker 6-1, 6-0 on Day 5 here.

The 2008 Memphis titlist will pocket $163,750.


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