Roddick Defeats Federer, Reaches Montreal Final

Andy Roddick defeated Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3), Saturday to reach the final of the Canada Masters in Montreal for the second straight year.

Roddick, seeded sixth, will meet 2002 Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian for the title at the hard-court tuneup for the U.S Open. Nalbandian beat eighth-seeded Rainer Schuettler, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Roddick -- who lost to Guillermo Canas in the 2002 final -- went into the match with an 0-4 record against Federer, including a loss in the Wimbledon semifinals last month.

“It definitely wasn’t looking good out there, but to win a match where I was down and fought back and clawed and scrapped feels good,” Roddick said.

The defeat cost Federer a chance to overtake Andre Agassi at No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

“It’s a pity,” Federer said. “I’ve never been No. 1, but I’ve never been No. 2, either, and now I’m No. 2. So let’s take the positive side of the story.”

Roddick was down a break in the third set but fought back to force the tiebreaker, in which he grabbed leads of 4-0 and 6-2. The match ended on an errant forehand by Federer.

Roddick is seeking his fourth tournament victory of the year after wins on clay at St. Poulton in Austria, on grass at the Queen’s Club in England and on hard courts in Indianapolis two weeks ago.

He is 23-2 since Brad Gilbert became his coach after a first-round loss in the French Open.

*

Agassi, who was seeded first, pulled out of next week’s Cincinnati Masters in Mason, Ohio, saying he needs to limit his playing time.

Agassi was beaten by Schuettler, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, Friday in the quarterfinals of the Canada Masters. Agassi’s agent then informed the tournament that he was withdrawing.

“While I clearly anticipated playing Cincinnati, at this stage of my career I have to be selective about the weeks I can compete,” Agassi said in a statement.

Agassi’s absence leaves French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero as the top-seeded player. Play begins Monday.

*

Qualifier Jelena Kostanic of Croatia beat Vera Douchevina of Russia, 7-6 (2), 6-4, in the semifinals of the Nordic Light Open at Espoo, Finland.

Second-seeded Anna Pistolesi of Israel prevented an all-Croatian final by beating eighth-seeded Karolina Sprem, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.

*

Swimming

Michael Phelps broke his world record in the 200 individual medley, winning the event in the U.S. championships at College Park, Md., in 1 minute 55.94 seconds.

Phelps, 18, ahead of the world-record pace at every turn, beat by one-tenth of a second the mark he set at the world championships at Barcelona on July 25.

With the victory, Phelps became the first man to win five individual events at a national championships. He has also set American records in the 400-meter freestyle and the 200 backstroke at the weeklong meet.

Tracy Caulkins (1978) and Natalie Coughlin (2002) are the only other Americans to win five individual races at the nationals. Phelps shared the men’s record of four with Johnny Weismuller, Mark Spitz and Tom Dolan.

*

Motor Racing

Pole winner Paul Tracy will have unexpected company on the front row for today’s Championship Auto Racing Teams Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio in Lexington.

Rookie Ryan Hunter-Reay, in a Ford-Cosworth/Raynard, was the second-fastest qualifier, crossing the finish line on his fast lap just before the session ended. Tracy posted his best time on the third of his 11 qualifying laps -- and it held up.

Tracy’s lap time of 1 minute 7.058 seconds at 121.220 mph in a Ford-Cosworth/Lola barely edged Hunter-Reay’s 1:07.074 and 121.192.

Tracy, driving for Player’s-Forsythe Racing, added one point to his season total by taking the pole and moved within a point of leader Bruno Junqueira in the driver standings.

Helio Castroneves led a record-breaking qualifying session to earn the pole for today’s Indy Racing League Emerson Indy 250 at Madison, Ill.

Castroneves knocked former IRL champion Kenny Brack off the pole with a lap of 175.965 mph in his Dallara-Toyota. Brack, in a Dallara-Honda, had a lap of 175.777.

*

Miscellany

Brazil’s Acelino Freitas was knocked down twice but came back to stop Argentina’s Jorge Rodrigo Barrios 50 seconds into the 12th round at Miami to retain his WBA and WBO super featherweight titles.

Freitas (34-0, 30 KOs) knocked Barrios down for the second time in the bout early in the 12th. Barrios (39-2-1) got back up but Freitas kept landing combinations to the head before referee Jorge Alonso stopped the fight.

Alabama defensive end Antwan Odom was briefly hospitalized Saturday after collapsing at practice.

“We took him off for precautionary tests,” Coach Mike Shula said. He refused to comment further on Odom’s condition.

Forward Jeff Friesen accepted the New Jersey Devils’ qualifying offer and agreed to terms on a $3-million deal for next season.

Friesen had 23 goals and 28 assists in 81 regular-season games last season, his first with the Stanley Cup champion Devils. He added 10 goals in 24 playoff games, scoring the game-winner in four of New Jersey’s 16 postseason victories.

Right wing Mike Johnson agreed to a one-year contract to stay with the Phoenix Coyotes, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. Johnson led Phoenix in scoring with 23 goals and 40 assists last season.

James Posey officially joined the Memphis Grizzlies when the Houston Rockets didn’t match a free-agent offer sheet.