China Open defending champion Andy Roddick was bundled out 6-2 6-4 by Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot the opening match of his tournament in Beijing.
Roddick, ranked No.6 in the world, was the first to admit that his centre court effort at the Olympic tennis venue was less than stellar.
“I didn't play well,” a sombre Roddick told reporters after the match.
“I don't know if I was super-prepared and it showed. I was trying stuff out there and nothing seemed to be working too well.”
Roddick, 27, said he was feeling the fatigue after a long season, with the ATP World Tour Finals in London still six weeks off, and that players needed more of a break.
“I certainly have not been shy about saying that at a certain point, something's got to give, and there has got to be some time to get yourself right physically and mentally,” he said.
“And right now, that's just not the case. And you're seeing that with Roger (Federer) and (Andy) Murray being out in Tokyo.”
When asked how he would prepare for next week's Shanghai Masters, Roddick replied:
“I certainly need to put some time in.”
Roddick is currently sixth in the race to London, but has not yet qualified for the event.
“I missed an opportunity here this week. You certainly want to get confirmed into that tournament sooner rather than later,” he said.
Meanwhile, Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the top seed and world No.2, held off a fierce challenge from former Australian Open champion Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, winning in three sets, 6-4 3-6 6-4.
The hard-hitting baseliners remained even throughout much of the match, delighting the crowd with long rallies and hitting amazing angles with their ground strokes.
The 23-year-old Nadal got the upper hand by taking the first set, but the Cypriot, who won the China Open in 2006, bounced right back to take the second.
At 4-4 in the third set, the left-handed Spaniard pounced, breaking Baghdatis and then serving out the match, exulting when the Cypriot's final stroke landed in the net.
“I didn't play well,” a sombre Roddick told reporters after the match.
“I don't know if I was super-prepared and it showed. I was trying stuff out there and nothing seemed to be working too well.”
Roddick, 27, said he was feeling the fatigue after a long season, with the ATP World Tour Finals in London still six weeks off, and that players needed more of a break.
“I certainly have not been shy about saying that at a certain point, something's got to give, and there has got to be some time to get yourself right physically and mentally,” he said.
“And right now, that's just not the case. And you're seeing that with Roger (Federer) and (Andy) Murray being out in Tokyo.”
When asked how he would prepare for next week's Shanghai Masters, Roddick replied:
“I certainly need to put some time in.”
Roddick is currently sixth in the race to London, but has not yet qualified for the event.
“I missed an opportunity here this week. You certainly want to get confirmed into that tournament sooner rather than later,” he said.
Meanwhile, Spaniard Rafael Nadal, the top seed and world No.2, held off a fierce challenge from former Australian Open champion Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, winning in three sets, 6-4 3-6 6-4.
The hard-hitting baseliners remained even throughout much of the match, delighting the crowd with long rallies and hitting amazing angles with their ground strokes.
The 23-year-old Nadal got the upper hand by taking the first set, but the Cypriot, who won the China Open in 2006, bounced right back to take the second.
At 4-4 in the third set, the left-handed Spaniard pounced, breaking Baghdatis and then serving out the match, exulting when the Cypriot's final stroke landed in the net.
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