MELBOURNE, Australia -- If people would quit asking Andy Roddick when he'll be the next American at No. 1, he might be able to concentrate on getting to the top of the tennis world.

	Andy Roddick is seeded ninth this week at Melbourne.

Pete Sampras has won a record 14 Grand Slam singles titles, and Andre Agassi has seven. But both are in their 30s, and there isn't another U.S. man with a major title.

Sampras has reduced his touring commitments and, as fit as he is, Agassi probably will follow suit soon.

And Roddick keeps getting the same question.

"That makes 289 straight press conferences,'' he said Tuesday after winning his first-round match at the Australian Open. "It's tough. I mean, I'm coming up, and it's a hard act to follow.''

Tennis fans in the United States had been "spoiled, in the best possible way,'' Roddick said. "Since the Open era began we've always had somebody in the top -- if not No. 1, then the top two or three and competing for Slams.

"I'm trying to get there and I do believe I'll get there. But it's going to take more work and, you know, I'm going to have to take my opportunities as they come.''

If the rest of his game can catch up with his serve, Roddick could race up the rankings.

He fired 19 aces and produced 60 winners in his 6-7 (9), 6-2, 7-6 (0), 6-3 victory over Croatia's Zeljko Krajan at Melbourne Park, where Roddick is seeded ninth.

After leading 4-1 in the first set, Roddick lost it in a tight tiebreaker. He trailed 1-4 in the third but rallied to win that in a tiebreaker.

His fastest serve was 139 mph, while his biggest shot was a curling forehand winner down the line to save a set point as he scrambled to his right.

Roddick appears to have all the weapons to make it to the top, and all the pressure against him. More experience on tour will help the former junior world champion.

"It's tough being in the shadows of Pete and Andre, but that's the way it is and I have to deal with it,'' he said.

Compiling a career-high 56 wins and moving into the top 10 in 2002, Roddick placed second on tour in service games won (88 percent) and was third in aces (658) and first-serve points won (79 percent).

His goal is to move higher in the rankings and advance further in the majors. Other than the U.S. Open, where he's been a quarterfinalist twice, Roddick hasn't been past the third round at a Grand Slam tournament.

"As far as the Slams go, I definitely want to make a dent on one this year,'' he said. "I'm definitely looking to improve on that.''