Agassi Sparkles at US Open
As Serena cruises
Andre Agassi has returned to his favourite hunting ground to serve up a traditional late-night feast on the opening day of the U.S. Open.
After men's top seed Roger Federer and women's third seed Serena Williams had posted impressive first round victories on a muggy day at Flushing Meadows, it was the 34-year-old Agassi who stole the show on Monday with a 7-6 6-4 6-2 victory over fellow American Robby Ginepri.
It was the sixth time in seven years that the eight-times grand slam champion had topped the bill on the opening night session, and he did not disappoint despite a few anxious moments.
After edging the first-set tiebreak, Agassi, who is bidding for a third U.S. Open title, showed that age has not blunted his groundstrokes as he took his record for night matches at the U.S. Open to 24-3.
"I felt pretty good tonight apart from my first serve, I never found my rhythm and could not relax," he said.
"My confidence was low for a while earlier in the summer but I've got over that hump and I'm playing at a level I haven't played for a while."
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 Sweden's Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three grand slam titles in the same year.
In stifling humidity, the world number one started untidily 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 guess that was the difference today."
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 quickfire 6-1 6-3 victory over Sandra Kleinova.
Taking to the court in knee-length boots, denim skirt and diamond-studded crop top, the twice former champion showed flashes of her dazzling best during a routine 53-minute victory.
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 all over the world number 84.
"I thought I played at a decent level," said Williams who showed no sign of the knee injury that has plagued her year. "I've finally got to a point where I'm playing better and focussing better."
Earlier, Mauresmo, still looking for her first slam, 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 and said she just had to grind it out. "I just had to hang in there and hope that she would come down eventually," said the 28-year-old playing in her 13th U.S. Open.
Men's third seed Carlos Moya 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 U.S. Open, said: "It was very hot and humid out there and I started badly, my legs were a bit weak when we finished the first set."
The Spaniard's best run at the U.S. Open was 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.
In the men's singles Wimbledon semi-finalist Mario Ancic, the 27th seed, was beaten in straight sets by Belgium's Olivier Rochus, while in the women's 18th seed Karolina Sprem lost to compatriot Jelena Kostanic and American 32nd seed Meghann Shaughnessy fell to Marion Bartoli of France 6-4 6-4.
Elsewhere, Todd Martin's four-set defeat to wily Frenchman Fabrice Santoro marked the end of his long career. The 34-year-old American, appearing in his 15th U.S. Open, announced his retirement immediately after the match.
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