Federer, Agassi Lead Winners at U.S.-Poor US Open

Posted on September 5, 2004

World No. 1 Roger Federer and American stalwart Andre Agassi led the winners Saturday at the US Open, with Agassi one of only two Americans advancing to the third round, the worst U.S. men's performance in history at the event.

Federer beat the crafty Frenchman Fabrice "The Magician" Santoro in straight sets, while Agassi straight-setted No. 25 seed Jiri Novak.

"Always good to win three matches in a row, especially at a Grand Slam," Federer said. "I've got an unbelievable Grand Slam record this year. I really have to use that confidence and this experience I took from this year to do well in the second week."

There were two seeded upsets on the day, with unseeded Belgian Olivier "The Roach" Rochus outlasting No. 3 Carlos Moya in five sets, and No. 22 Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty taking out No. 15 Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichphan in straights.

Moya admitted he was shaky serving to stay in the match at 5-6 in the fifth, double faulting on match point. Rochus learned from a loss to Moya at the Athens Olympics.

"I beat (Mark) Philippoussis in Athens before I lost to Moya," Rochus said.

Other seeded winners were No. 5 Tim Henman (d. (Q)Tabara in five), No. 16 Andrei Pavel (d. H.-T. Lee in five), and No. 19 Nicolas Kiefer (d. Thomas "Tommy the J." Johansson in straights).

"My energy levels were fine but towards the end, during the changeovers, my back was getting quite stiff," Henman said. "After a changeover, I find on the first couple of serves I feel stiff and there isn't much flexibility there."

Armenian Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian also weathered a five-set win over Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.

In doubles highlights the world No. 1 Bryan twins, the 2003 U.S. Open doubles runners-up, were upset 7-6(5), 6-1 by unseeded Julien "United Colors Of" Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut of France.

On court Sunday are Haas vs. Ricardo Mello "Yellow" in an all-unseeded, No. 2 Roddick vs. No. 29 Canas (Canas leads career meetings 2-1), No. 4 Hewitt vs. No. 30 Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, No. 28 Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson vs. Koubek, No. 18 Tommy "The R." Robredo vs. Alexander "I'll Make You" Peya, Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer vs. Llodra, Davydenko vs. Beck, and Berdych vs. Youzhny.

Henin-Hardenne Leads Winners at Saturday US Open

World No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne put in a workman-like effort in advancing into the fourth round Saturday at the US Open with a straight-set win over American Lisa Raymond.

"I was very calm and I had a good reaction at 4-4 in the first," Henin-Hardenne said. "So it was really positive."

Other seeded winners were No. 5 Lindsay Davenport (d. No. 26 Bovina), No. 9 Svetlana Kuznetsova (d. No. 21 Amy "Down Goes" Frazier in possibly her last US Open), No. 11 Venus Williams (d. No. 20 Rubin), No. 14 Nadia Petrova (d. No. 19 Farina Elia 7-6 in the third), No. 27 Mary Pierce (upset No. 7 Maria Sharapova), and No. 29 Eleni Daniilidou (d. Chakvetadze).

"After everything I have been through, and the last few years that have been really difficult, these moments are just a lot sweeter," Pierce said after beating the media princess Sharapova.

There was only one unseeded winner on the day, with Japan's Shinobu Asagoe pulling the upset over No. 13 Paola Suarez.

On tap for Sunday is No. 3 Serena vs. No. 15 Schnyder, No. 2 Mauresmo vs. No. 16 Schiavone, No. 6 Dementieva vs. No. 10 Zvonareva in an all-Russian, and No. 8 Capriati vs. No. 12 Sugiyama.

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