|
 |
| Roger Federer of Switzerland hits
a forehand to Albert Costa of Spain during their match at the 2004
U.S. Open in New York, August 30, 2004.
(Reuters) |
Roger Federer let his tennis do the talking at the US Open on Monday
but it was Serena Williams who dazzled the crowd when she blazed to
victory under the Flushing Meadows lights.
Top seed Federer's 7-5 6-2 6-4 victory over Spain's Albert Costa was
routine for the Swiss who is bidding to become the first player since Mats
Wilander in 1988 to win three grand
slam titles in the same year.
On a stifling Arthur Ashe
Court the world number one took a while to find his rhythm against an
opponent who beat him on their two previous meetings, but a Costa
double-fault gifted him the
first set and he was rarely troubled again.
"I knew I had to play aggressive today and make sure I got a lot of
serves in," said Federer, who lost to Costa in Rome this year.
"I figured out how to play him today, so I'm happy about that."
After second seed Amelie Mauresmo and Jennifer Capriati both eased into
the second round of the women's singles, two-times champion Serena showed
off her Open credentials with a quick fire 6-1 6-3 victory over Sandra
Kleinova.
 Czech Kleinova admitted she was shaking before walking on court,
and Serena's outfit of knee-length boots, denim skirt and diamond-studded crop top
would hardly have done much to settle her nerves.
Williams was told beforehand by the USTA that she would only be allowed
to wear her boots during the warm-up, but after reverting to more
traditional tennis shoes she trampled over the world number 84 and
clinched victory with a booming forehand return after 53 minutes.
"I thought I played at a decent level," said Williams who said her
latest outfit was inspired by American heartthrob James Dean. "I've
finally got to a point where I'm playing better and focusing better."
SEEDS ADVANCE
Earlier Mauresmo, still looking for her first grand slam title, enjoyed
a comfortable 6-4 6-2 victory against American Marissa Irvin while eighth
seed Capriati recovered from a poor start to beat Czech Denisa Chladkova
2-6 6-1 6-2.
Capriati, three times a semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows, was given an
early scare by Chladkova as she struggled in a gusting wind but showed her
normal battling qualities to recover.
"I just had to hang in there and hope that she would come down
eventually," said the 28-year-old playing in her 13th US Open.
Men's third seed Carlos Moya also had to dig deep against 19-year-old
American wildcard Brian Baker, losing the first set before coming through
6-7 6-4 6-4 6-2.
Moya, enjoying his highest seeding at the US Open, was helped when
Baker suffered a leg injury at the start of the third set.
"It was very hot and humid out there and I started badly, my legs were
a bit weak when we finished the first set," said the Spaniard, who reached
the semi-finals in 1998, the year of his French Open triumph.
There were a notable lack of shocks in Monday's play, although there
were some seeded casualties.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2004-08-30 13:59