Federer and Henin crush qualifiers

Serena Williams of the US celebrates a point against Angelique Kerber of Germany during their match at the US Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York, on Monday. Reuters

Three-time defending champion Federer, seeking his 12th Grand Slam singles crown, opened the year's final Grand Slam event with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory against 320th-ranked American Scoville Jenkins in 92 minutes.

"I'm happy to have won my first one. I'm happy I'm through," Federer said. "It always feels like a bit of a relief. Now I can relax a little maybe."

Henin, still battling a sore shoulder, took 62 minutes to beat 145th-ranked German Julia Goerges 6-0, 6-3. She won the first set in 24 minutes, aided by Goerges' six double faults and 15 unforced errors, and cruised to the finish.

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

Eighth seed Serena Williams, who won her eighth Grand Slam title in January at the Australian Open, showed some rust from a long layoff due to a thumb injury but defeated Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-3, 7-5.

"I wasn't playing my best at all," she said. "I made so many errors out there. It was frustrating but I kept going."

The younger Williams sister had not played since a Wimbledon quarterfinal loss to Henin.

"I'm excited to be playing tennis instead of running and practicing," said Serena Williams. "It's a relief to be playing in a tournament."

Reigning Wimbledon champion Venus Williams ripped Hungarian qualifier Kira Nagy 6-2, 6-1 in 54 minutes. The 12th-seeded American, a six-time Grand Slam winner, fired a main-draw women's record 129-mph serve in the first set.

"I got really excited. I'm so stoked on breaking that record," she said. "I wasn't even expecting to do that at all. That's just how it comes."

Venus next plays Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru, who ousted American Ashley Harkleroad 7-5, 1-6, 6-4. Serena next meets Italy's Maria Elena Camerin, who beat Russian Tatiana Poutchek 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).

Federer, 26, seeks his 12th Grand Slam title in pursuit of the all-time record 14 won by Pete Sampras and his fourth US Open crown in a row. Not since Bill Tilden's run from 1920 to 1925 has anyone won four consecutive US Opens.

Federer also began his 187th week in a row atop the rankings to break the record streak as world No 1 that he has shared with Steffi Graf's 1987-1991 run.

The second round foe for Federer is another qualifier, Paul Capdeville. The Chilean outlasted Germany's Rainer Schuettler 5-7, 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-3.

Henin, seeking a seventh Slam title after taking her fourth French Open title in June, next plays Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria who defeated Olga Poutchkova of Russia 6-3, 6-4.

Britain's Andy Murray, who missed Wimbledon and the French Open, made a triumphant Grand Slam return from a wrist injury by defeating Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 6-2, 6-3, 6-0.

The 19th-seeded Scotsman fired six aces and 37 winners against four double faults and 35 unforced errors to win after an hour and 43 minutes.

"When you don't play for such a long time at an acceptable level, it's quite tough to stay positive," Murray said.

Russian fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko and Serbian third seed Jelena Jankovic, both 2006 US Open semifinalists, advanced in straight sets, as did Serbian fifth seed and French Open runner-up Ana Ivanovic.

Jankovic, 22, was nagged by a damaged left shoe in the second set but won her women's best 68th match of the year. Despite needing seven match points she finally subdued Slovakian Jarmila Gajdosova 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) after 80 minutes.

"I didn't play great. I was very nervous," Jankovic said. "But it's always good to get through matches like this and then you can play better and better."

Davydenko, 26, defeated Jesse Levine 6-4, 6-0, 6-1, taking full advantage of eight double faults and 47 unforced errors by the US wild card, while Ivanovic, 19, ousted Japan's Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-1 in 62 minutes.

Cypriot 18th seed Marcos Baghdatis was the top-ranked player to lose on day one, losing to Max Mirnyi of Belarus 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6). Spanish 21st seed Juan Carlos Ferrero lost to countryman Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Qualifier Yan Zi, one of two Chinese entrants, lost to Ekaterina Bychkova of Russia 6-2, 6-4.

Yan's fellow Peng Shuai plays Flavia Pennetta of Italy today.

AFP

(China Daily 08/29/2007 page24)