Roddick downs Hewitt and Murray coasts

By Pritha Sarkar

LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Roddick won the shootout between former champions when he squeezed past Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 7-6 to reach the quarter-finals at Queen's Club on Thursday.

Britain's Andy Murray lived up to his top billing at the traditional warm-up event for Wimbledon when he produced a devastating display of speed and power to beat Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4 6-4.

The anticipated showdown between second seed Roddick and Hewitt, two former world number ones, was delayed by 10 minutes following a hoax bomb threat at the complex.

Both players, who have each won four singles titles at the west London club, stayed on court during the hold up and were seen exchanging friendly banter across the net.

Once play began, they dropped the laughter and stood toe-to-toe. With no quarter given, neither earned a break point and the contest headed into a tiebreak.

Roddick came into his own in the breaker with his thunderbolt deliveries helping him on his way. A dispute over a Hawkeye call refused to throw him off track and he clinched it 7-2 with a forehand winner.

The second set was almost a replay of the first and Roddick settled the score 7-4 in the tiebreak with his 18th ace.

"He's had just as much success as I've had... and knows how to use this surface to his advantage so well," said Roddick.