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New York late show no problem for Roddick


 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:46

Fifth seed Roddick, who took world number one Federer to a 30th game in the fifth set on grass in an epic Wimbledon final in July, took considerably less time to shake off Germany’s Bjorn Phau as he powered to a 6-1 6-4 6-2 victory.

The match did not start until gone 11pm local time on Monday night as the players were held up by Venus Williams’ long match against Vera Dushevina but Roddick said: “This feels real great, the later the better.”

Five-time defending champion Federer had much earlier in the day on the same court breezed into the second round and smashed the 50 million-dollar barrier in prize money as he swept teenager Devin Britton aside.

Federer’s comfortable 6-1 6-3 7-5 win over the 18-year-old American wild card earned him 31,000 US dollars to make him the first tennis player to surpass 50m in career prize money as he stretched his winning streak at the US Open to 35 consecutive matches.

There were some early casualties among the men’s seeds with 26th seed Paul-Henri Mathieu ousted 2-6 7-5 6-0 6-2 by Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny, while number 28 Victor Hanescu of Romania was beaten by American John Isner in a testing straight-sets match, 6-1 7-6 (16/14) 7-6 (7/5).

No such problems, however, for eighth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, Sweden’s Robin Soderling, the number 12 seed and Spain’s Tommy Robredo, the 14th seed, who all progressed.

Former champion Lleyton Hewitt wasted little time advancing to the second round. The Australian, seeded at 31, steamrollered Brazil’s Thiago Alves with a 6-0 6-3 6-4 victory.

Germany’s Tommy Haas, the 20th seed, encountered stubborn opposition in Alejandro Falla of Colombia but prevailed with a 7-5 4-6 7-6 (9/7) 6-2 win.

New York favourite James Blake, the 21st seed from nearby Connecticut, eased into round two with a 6-1 6-4 7-5 defeat of Spain’s Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.