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Fernando Verdasco upset top seed Andy Roddick 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to win the San Jose Open on Sunday and snap a 15-match losing streak against top 10-ranked players.
"I know the top 10 guys are tough and last year I was really close in a lot of matches," the Spaniard said after clinching his fourth title and second on American soil.
"But of course this win will give me a lot of confidence beating Andy in his country. It's special."
The 11th-ranked Verdasco also broke a seven match losing streak to Roddick, who was bidding for his fourth San Jose title after winning in Brisbane and making the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
World No 7 Roddick started strongly, adeptly mixing up his attack to break the Spaniard twice and win the first set.
But the irritable American then struggled to find enough pace on his shots in the last two sets, and after being broken early in the second, received a code violation for belting a ball way up into the stands when he missed a passing shot.
He fought off two set points at 5-4, but the left-handed Verdasco sealed the second set with an ace.
The two went it at tooth and nail in the third set, but Roddick couldn't contend with Verdasco's powerful first serves and was less powerful off the ground.
The Spaniard broke to lead 5-4 after threading a low backhand pass, then served out the match with another thumping ace.
"I served very well and I don't think Andy served his best today," said Verdasco, who notched 15 aces to Roddick's 10.
"I tried to be aggressive, change the rhythm and play with confidence to go for the title."
