Favourites progress at U.S. Open day 2

27 August, 2008, 16:04

The second day of 2008 U.S. Open has produced no sensations so far, with most favorites from both the women’s draw and the men’s progressing past the opening round. Still for some of them their first encounter was no mil

World number one Ana Ivanovic has narrowly avoided the fate of becoming the first number one seed in U.S. Open history to lose in the first round.

Russian underdog Vera Dushevina gave the Serbian star a heavy workout and took the second set, but Ivanovic held on to win it 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.

Meanwhile Olympic silver medalist Dinara Safina had a much easier day, cruising past American wildcard Kristie Haerim Ahn in straight sets. The sixth seeded Russian, who won 6-3, 6-4 said she has a new found calmness after the Beijing games.

Tuesday was also a good day for the local favorites, as both Williams sisters making their way into the second round. The younger Serena having few problems in her 6-1, 6-4 win over Ukraininan doubles specialist Katerina Bondarenko.

While Venus had an equally easy time of it against Samantha Stosur – beating the Australian in straights 6-2, 6-3.

Twelfth seed bites the dust

Two-time U.S. Open quarter-finalist, Tommy Haas, played 12th seeded Richard Gasquet, whose many unforced errors allowed the German to advance in five, as Gasquet became the highest seeded player to lose so far.

Mardy Fish made it through to the second round for the sixth time in his career. It took the American four sets to put out Australian Robert Smeets after the first two were shared, both following tie-breaks.

Igor Andreev had a tough time in his first set against Frenchman Marc Gicquel, who lost only at tie-break. The following two sets, however, went smoother – 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-4.

20-year-old Evgeny Korolev required two tie-breaks, as his last set lasted more then an hour, to overcome Swede Robin Soderling 7-6 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (9).

Teimuraz Gabashvili was close to turn his fortune after giving the first set to Frenchman Michael Llodra, but luck was not on his side when came to tie-breaks 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4).

Another unseeded Russian Igor Kunitsyn lost to 13-seed Fernando Verdasco from Spain 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

Russia's 5-seed Nikolay Davydenko and 26-seed Dmitry Tursunov will take on their first round opponents on day 3.

Safin outraged

In the men’s draw, 2000 U.S. Open champion Marat Safin suffered a scare in the first round, but like the rest of the big name players managed to progress.

His encounter with Vincent Spadea turned into a major struggle and although Safin (as ever) lost his cool on several occasions, he eventually outlasted his opponent to take his place in the second round with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory.

At one point, Safin was called for a foot fault by the umpire, which he was very vocal about after the match.

“You can ask anyone – first he needs to give a warning on that: ”Watch out, you are making a foot fault“. I mean an official, who never played professional tennis – how can he decide what are the rules. That is really pissing me off: an official, who has never touched a rocket telling me what are the rules,” Safin said after the match.

Champ to prove status

Defending champ Roger Federer, seeded second at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2004 Australian Open, broke his first round opponent Fernando Gonzales in the eighth game before taking the first set. Federer didn't lose a game in the second set and went on to close out the match 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 in one hour 21 minutes.