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Dubai: Red Hot Andy Roddick has beaten Feliciano Lopez to win the 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.
The American won 6-7 6-4 6-2 in front of a packed crowd in just under two hours.
The Spaniard won a thrilling tie-breaker to take the first set 7-6 (10-8).
Both players battled hard in the early games with some inspired returns and passes. Lopez, ranked 41 in the world, served well and neutralised the American's powerful serve on a number of occasions.
Cheered on by a mainly Spanish crowd, the 26-year-old Lopez matched Roddick in serve, belting 17 aces and hovered around the 215 km/h mark.
Despite two glaring basline errors early on, Roddick gained the upper hand in middle of the second set, breaking the Spaniard's serve after a double fault. He went on to dominate a tired Lopez in the third, breaking again twice.
Roddick said he faced a tough opponent in Lopez and said his road to victory was a difficult one.
"It was a tough match and I was playing every night. I'm glad to be back in Dubai...I really enjoyed my time here, I hope I get an invite here next year."
The 24-year-old American, who displayed a wide variety of shots in his arsenal during the tournament, has impressed many watchers of the game who have said he relies predominantly on his serve.
Lopez beat three top-ten players to reach the final.
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