Tennis: Ankle blow 'crushing' for Roddick

Andy Roddick added to the ever-growing list of injured casualties at the Australian Open as he tumbled out of his second round encounter in Melbourne.

The American 13th seed fell on an already injured right ankle as he ran wide for a forehand, tried to use his right foot to stop, and fell awkwardly. He got up slowly and continued playing, but couldn't hit effectively.

The withdrawal sent Croatian Ivan Ljubicic into the third round. He led 7-6 (11-9) 3-2 when Roddick was forced to concede.

The year's first Grand Slam event already was without its five top men's seeds. It now is missing nine of the top 15.

Roddick reached three set points in the first-set tie-break and was leading 8-7 before Ljubicic's wide crosscourt forehand led to his fall.

Ljubicic then had four set points before he finished the set with a backhand down the line.

Roddick called for the trainer then, and again after losing serve to 1-2 in the second set. With the trainer unable to help, he buried his face in his towel, slammed the towel down and played two more games.

"It's pretty crushing," Roddick said. "It's happened a little too much. It's just really disheartening."

He said he had sprained the ankle in his first round match on Tuesday and was able to "play through on adrenalin," but couldn't play on after injuring it again.

"I had it taped like a cast - it was so tight I almost couldn't move," he said. "The trainer said if it's so weak it's turning in that (strapping), there's risk of long-term injury."

Ljubicic, who finished last year ranked 37th, said he was sorry the match didn't develop.

"I played one of my best matches. I was very aggressive from the beginning," he added. "I wasn't expecting that he wouldn't finish."

Roddick pushed eventual champion Lleyton Hewitt to five sets before losing in the US Open quarter-finals last year.

His opening round victory here against Mariano Zabaleta gave him 50 wins in just 72 matches in his pro career. Andre Agassi (77) and Pete Sampras (86) needed longer to reach their 50th.