Gabashvili Ends Roddick's Campaign, Reaches Last 16; Ferrer Beaten

© AFP/Getty ImagesAndy Roddick dropped to 9-9 lifetime at Roland Garros. He will now prepare for the AEGON Championships at The Queen's Club.

Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili, who had failed to win back-to-back tour-level matches this year prior to Roland Garros, recorded the biggest win of his career Saturday when he defeated sixth seed Andy Roddick of the United States 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 54 minutes.

The World No. 114 hit nine aces and 58 winners past Roddick, who reached the fourth round last year (l. to Monfils). Roddick failed to convert any of his three break point opportunities and hit 14 winners overall. It was his first loss to a qualifier at Grand Slams (11-1).

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"I feel competitive now," said Gabashvili. "I've won six matches [including qualifying matches] and I didn't lose a set. I want to keep doing it. I don't think about where I am, or about Roland Garros. I just play."

Roddick said: "I've fought through a couple of matches that were a bit dicey but today I got outplayed from the first ball. He played good tennis. Credit to him. He got the best of me and he was getting the best of me on 70 per cent of the points."

Gabashvili, who is playing Roland Garros for the third time (4-2 record) and has reached seven ATP World Tour quarter-finals in his career, will next meet No. 22 seed Jurgen Melzer, the first Austrian man in the Roland Garros last 16 since Stefan Koubek in 1999.

Melzer snapped a three-match losing streak against No. 9 seed David Ferrer of Spain with a 6-4, 6-0, 7-6(1) victory in one hour and 56 minutes for a place in his first fourth round at a Grand Slam. Ferrer, 28, dropped to a 29-6 record on clay this year, highlighted by one ATP World Tour title at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco (d. Ferrero) in February.

Eleventh-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who led Viktor Troicki of Serbia 3-1 in the fourth set when bad light suspended play on Friday evening, completed a 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-3 victory in two hours and 50 minutes. He goes on to challenge home favourite and No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.