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Steady seeds roll to opening victories in New York

Top seeds Roger Federer and Justine Henin lived up to star billing with unspectacular but solid wins to start the US Open on Monday.



Steady seeds roll to opening victories in New York

Roger Federer returns a backhand to Scoville Jenkins

   Federer, fresh from his tune-up title eight days ago in Cincinnati, tore through American qualifier Scoville Jenkins 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, firing 13 aces, breaking five times and striking 25 winners.

    It was another minor success story for Henin on the women's side as the Belgian hammered German Julia Goerges 6-0, 6-3.

    Henin, losing finalist a year ago to Maria Sharapova, won her only pre-Open event in Toronto playing with a shoulder problem which the four-time French Open winner is treating with extreme caution.

    The low-key winner and world number one had little to say about reaching the second round in efficient style.

    "I just did a good job, generally it's been positive. I didn't serve that well.

    "I was a bit concerned the last few days with my shoulder.  It's getting better, but still a little bit scary. I'm glad to win, but it was nothing special today."

   Federer delivered another workmanlike performance as he builds for what could be a fourth New York title in succession.

    The Swiss aiming for his 12th Grand Slam title brought over the confidence reserve from his fifth straight crown at the All England club lifted less than two months ago.

    "This is the fifth time I come into the US Open as the Wimbledon champion, so obviously that helps every time," said the Swiss. "I'm happy where my game is, my fitness and my mental part of the game.

    "Those are the three components I need to have right before this first match."

   Federer is trying to become the first man since the 1920s to earn four titles on the trot at the event.

    Jenkins, ranked a lowly 319, never figured on a contest completed in 92 minutes. Federer saved a break point as he served for the quick win, then finished with a stinging service winner.

    The Swiss has won two of the season's three Grand Slams, his only loss coming in the French Open final to Rafael Nadal.

    Federer stands 32-4 as he begins his eighth US Open appearance.

    "I prefer easy, but that's me," he confessed with a smile. "Maybe other guys like five setters in the first round.  I like straight sets more."

     Four other seeds followed Federer's lead.

    Number four Nikolay Davydenko, playing under a cloud of a possible suspicious match last month that is now under investigation, beat American Jesse Levine 6-4, 6-0, 6-1.

    Number nine Tomas Berdych stopped Frenchman Marc Gicquel 6-3, 7-6 (7-0), 6-2 while Tommy Haas led Nicolas Kiefer to a German double.

    The tenth seed beat Belgian Steve Darcis 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 while his compatriot put out American Vince Spadea 6-2, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3.

    Frenchman Richard Gasquet, the number 13, had no trouble with Argentine Sergio Roitman, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2.

    Feliciano Lopez advanced at the expense of Spanish compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2004 finalist, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

    Max Mirnyi needed just short of three hours to oust former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6).

   Women's third seed Jelena Jankovic, a breakthrough semi-finalist in 2006, needed seven match points to put down Jarmila Gajdosova 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

   She was joined by fifth-seeded compatriot Ana Ivanovic, who handled Japan's Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-1.  Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli, the number 10, walked over American Alexa Glatch 6-1, 6-1. Russian 15th seed Dinara Safina followed on as she beat Catalina Castano 6-2, 6-3.

   Jankovic holds four titles this season after bursting into prominence over the past year. The Serb improved to 63-18 on the season as she won her ninth match at the US Open.

    "I got tight at the end, but I managed to kind of recuperate and do my best as much as I can and finish the match," she said. "I also broke my shoe at the end of the first set.

    "I kind of lost my concentration a bit because I was thinking, 'What am I going to do if this shoe completely wears out? Can I play barefoot? What am I supposed to do?'"

   The smiling Serb was able to call for the trainer, who applied some glue that temporarily solved the problem.

    Bartoli, who beat Henin in a dramatic Wimbledon semi-final after losing the opening set 6-1, said she used the fear factor to get over the inexperienced American Glatch.


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