Andy Roddick [ Images ] began his bid to return to the world's top 10 by crushing Ramon Delgado 6-3, 6-2 to reach the RCA Championships third round on Tuesday.

The American, Indianapolis champion in 2003 and 2004, dropped to 11th in the rankings following his third-round defeat at Wimbledon [ Images ], the first time the 2003 US Open [ Images ] champion has been out of the top 10 since 2002.

Mark Philippoussis, winner of last week's Newport tournament on grass, lost 6-4, 7-5 to Korea's Hyung-Taik Lee in the first round while Wayne Arthurs beat Israeli Harel Levy 6-3, 7-5.

Philippoussis, fresh from winning his first title since 2003, was unable to adjust to the change of surface.

"I was struggling in the conditions, but I felt okay," he told reporters. "I'm a little disappointed but it was a good chance to get more practice and get match tough."  

Roddick fired eight aces against the Paraguayan, including one on match point, to improve his tournament record to 13-1 on his favourite hardcourt surface.

"I feel really motivated, I can't wait to get out there and play," Roddick told reporters. "I played solid throughout, I wasn't defensive at all. I accomplished a lot of things that I wanted to."

Compatriot Robby Ginepri opened his title defence with a battling 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Colombia's Alejandro Falla [ Images ].

The fourth-seeded American double-faulted on match point before serving out three games later to complete victory in over two hours.

"I can't remember the last time I was this nervous before a match," Ginepri told reporters. "Somehow I snuck this one out. I was absolutely exhausted, and a lot of that was nerves."

Chile's Fernando Gonzalez [ Images ], the third seed, faced little opposition from the 200th-ranked Sam Querrey, booking his third-round place with a 6-3, 6-4 win over the American wild card.

The South American world number 16 needed just 67 minutes to end the challenge of the 18-year-old in steaming temperatures and humidity.