Ljubicic turns back Roddick

INDIAN WELLS, California – Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia outlasted Andy Roddick 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) to win the BNP Paribas Open.

Ljubicic won on his fourth match point Sunday, blasting a big serve that Roddick couldn’t return. At 31, Ljubicic is the second-oldest winner at Indian Wells behind Jimmy Connors, who was five months older when he won in 1984.

Roddick was trying to become the first American man to win since 2001, but he trailed in both tiebreakers. He had beaten Ljubicic seven times in 10 meetings, winning their last meeting at Indian Wells in two tiebreakers in 2007.

Jelena Jankovic defeated Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-4 earlier Sunday to win the women’s title, the Serbian’s first in seven months.

The former top-ranked player from Serbia dictated from the baseline throughout the one-hour match, hitting the lines and keeping Wozniacki on the run.

Jankovic broke Wozniacki three times in the first set and again in the first game of the second set.

“I wanted to be really aggressive, but at the same time patient, and not really go for too much or go over the limit with some balls,” Jankovic said. “I waited for my opportunities, and when I had them, I took them.” (AP)