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  Top-seed Federer, clad totally in black for the night session with dark shirt, socks, shoes and shorts with a tuxedo-like satin stripe running down each leg, extended his Flushing Meadows win streak to 22 matches.

   "Why not black at night," said Federer. "It's a bit of the tuxedo look. I don't do this every day, so it's something special.'

   The Swiss is bidding to become the first man to claim the title four times in succession.

    Number 120 Capdeville stalled at the second round stage after failing to halt the Federer progress as the Swiss won his 33rd match against just four defeats at the event.

    Federer will face off against the huge serve of US discovery John Isner, who advanced over South African Rik De Voest 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

    "I'm very happy with how I played, it is tough to come out in night early on in the event," said the winner. "I did well, but I had to struggle a bit in the second set early on.

    "I hit the ball well and tried to play aggressive. It all worked out."  

     While Federer went on his winning rampage, second-seeded rival Rafael Nadal had to play through the pain barrier to hold off inspired Australian outsider Alun Jones 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 despite an inflamed left knee tendon.

   "If this had been another tournament, I would never go to the court today," said Nadal after his first-round win. "But this is a very important tournament for me.

    "I have a big dream to play well here. Two days ago I thought I couldn't got on the court.  I worked a lot with my physio.  

     "I tried to move as little as possible and try to win.  With one more day, two more days, because maybe I play Friday night, hopefully it can improve."

   The knee injury was the second for the 20-year-old after hurting his right knee at Wimbledon. Nadal failed to finish his last match on August 15 in the Cincinnati second round, complaining  of dizziness.

   "Two days ago I was so much worse than now. I trained only 35 minutes on Tuesday."

   Briton Tim Henman, playing the event for the final time before retirement next month, finally cracked his Grand Slam hoodoo against Dmitry Tursunov as he beat the Russian for the first time in six attempts at a major.

   Henman reached the second round 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, joining Spanish eighth seed Tommy Robredo and number 11 Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

   Women's top seed Justine Henin played well enough to win as the Belgian struggles to get acclimated after a 6-4, 6-0 victory against Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.

   The four-time Roland Garros holder admits that New York is far from her favourite venue, preferring the quieter side of tennis life.

   But the world number one who has played only once since Wimbledon, pronounced herself "happy the way I won my last two matches.

   "I need to just go step by step and try to build my confidence day after day.  For the rest, we will see.

   "In a Grand Slam, you have to be strong, win seven matches.  It's tough; it's long. You need to be consistent for two weeks.

   "Little mistakes can make a big difference so you need to be aware all the time."

   Serbs Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic both advanced. with Jankovic thrashing Olga Govortsova 6-2, 6-2, a complete unknown to the third seed.

   "I didn't know how she looked like, how she played.  I didn't know anything," said Jankovic. "I had to figure out the way she's playing, how I have to play, what are her strengths, what kind of game I have to play because I don't really know what she is doing on the other side."

    Fifth seed Ivanovic struggled with an early case of nerves before steadying 6-3, 6-1 over Aravane Rezai of France.

   "It was a very slow start for me," said the first Serbian woman to reach a Grand Slam final when she played this year at Roland Garros, then followed up with a Wimbledon semi-final.

    "It was my first match on centre court. I was a little bit nervous. She was obviously a tough player to play against.

 "I was going a little bit for too much. But as the match went on I got a little bit in the rhythm and took my opportunities."

   The fifth seed who went out in the third round a year ago, broke six times in the way to her win in 65 minutes.

   Other seeds who advanced included Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli, number eight Serena Williams and 12th-seeded sister Venus.