Title number 30 for popular American
Andy Roddick was taken all the way by rookie Milos Raonic before clinching his 30th ATP title in Memphis.
The American, taking part in his 50th career final, pulled out a 7-6 6-7 7-5 win over the 20-year-old Canadian at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships - his third victory in the event.
The world number eight was out-aced by the youngster 32 to 20 in a dramatic showdown between two players at different ends of the career spectrum.
Raonic started the week ranked 156th in the world but had reached the fourth round at the Australian Open after coming through qualifying and then won in San Jose last week.
And he did not seem overawed by the big occasion as sent down 17 aces in the first set alone, squandering two set points in the tie-break before Roddick took it 9-7.
Another breaker followed in the next and Raonic saved one match point with an ace before levelling the match by taking it 13-11.
The American, taking part in his 50th career final, pulled out a 7-6 6-7 7-5 win over the 20-year-old Canadian at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships - his third victory in the event.
The world number eight was out-aced by the youngster 32 to 20 in a dramatic showdown between two players at different ends of the career spectrum.
Raonic started the week ranked 156th in the world but had reached the fourth round at the Australian Open after coming through qualifying and then won in San Jose last week.
And he did not seem overawed by the big occasion as sent down 17 aces in the first set alone, squandering two set points in the tie-break before Roddick took it 9-7.
Another breaker followed in the next and Raonic saved one match point with an ace before levelling the match by taking it 13-11.
Break
Roddick appeared to be on the way to victory when he finally got the decisive break to lead 4-1 in the decider, but Raonic was also able to pressure the American's serve and although Roddick saved three break points in the seventh game, the Canadian took his fourth chance to get back on serve.
Roddick was denied on a second match point in the 10th game as Raonic held for 5-5 but the world number eight took the next and then broke again with a diving pass to clinch victory in two hours and 26 minutes.
"That's the best shot I've ever hit in my life, considering the circumstance," Roddick said. "Just making the return, you get disheartened when he doesn't miss the next ball because he's tough to get a serve back.
"He had a great volley there. I don't really remember much else besides the fact that I went for the ball. I hit it. I didn't really think much of it. Then I heard people cheering. I was like, 'No, there's no way that went in.'
"I think I was very fortunate. I feel like I got outplayed. I just stuck around and kept trying.
"I've won 30 of them now, but I think every one of them is just as exciting. I get just as much joy today as I did my first one."
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