Young, Isner, Rolle Provide Rookie Hope for U.S. at US Open

Young won his first-round match Monday on the opening day at the US Open, defeating big-serving Australian Chris Guccione 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, his second career win at the tour level. Young played on an outer court, which was so packed that fans were turned away from the stands, and a vocal crowd didn't hold back their support.

Afterwards Young appeared in his post-match conference, ballcap bill bent into an upside-down "U" and slightly askew, and a diamond gleaming in his ear, sounding tentative at times but overall more confident about making the transition from junior player to tour player.

"I knew would get one," said Young on winning his first tour match this summer, and now his first Grand Slam match. "Sooner or later you don't play all the top players, you get to play some of the lower-ranked players also. But lower is not really low, but lower than Top 10."

Young was referring to playing the Chris Guccione's of the tour rather than the Nikolay Davydenkos or other top players he had draw when going 0-12 in his first 12 tour matches.

Young said he hopes to 'maybe get a little lucky' in his next match against No. 13 seed Richard Gasquet, who easily defeated Sergio Roitman in straight sets. Young could get some extra confidence from Gasquet's assessment of his next-round opponent.

"This year, he's not the same guy for sure," said Gasquet of Young. "Last year he was really young. This year he's young too, for sure, but he plays really, really good. I think he will be in three or four years in the Top 10 for sure. If he's patient, he will be great for sure. He plays like a little [Marcelo] Rios. He has the same game like him. He has a lot of talent. It's great for American tennis."

Another American continuing to burst on the scene is John Isner, who Monday upset No. 26 seed Jarkko Nieminen 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-4.

Isner entered his post-match interview with practically his entire arm cling-wrapped in ice bags, a precautionary measure he explained.

"I don't hold anything back, I go for broke," Isner said of the serving acumen that got him through his first Grand Slam win. "I have nothing to lose out there. Just go for it, try to get the point over quick."

Nieminen said it was the biggest serve he has faced on tour.

"I think at least for me it was the most difficult serve I have returned," Nieminen said. "It's not because it's hard -- obviously, it's hard, but many players are hitting -- big servers are hitting always hard, at least first serves. But it's the bounce because he's so tall. It's like bouncing very high after that."

World No. 1 Roger Federer began his bid to become the only man to win four consecutive US Open titles in the Open Era, beating American wildcard Scoville Jenkins 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

"I thought it was a good match, you know, tough match," Federer said. "Didn't allow my opponent many chances on my serve. I tried to creates a many as I could. I was serving well. Unfortunately for him he double-faulted quite a bit on breakpoints, which obviously helped."

The fashionable Federer did the New York rap community proud in his post-match conference, sporting a black Nike warm-up head to toe and a dark hat emblazoned with an intricate blingy "F" with the look lacking only a giant gold chain. Federer was his unruffle-able self after the match, only flinching when asked about his hot-button topic, the Hawkeye video replay line-calling system. Federer said, "That's the wrong question," rebuffing the questioner with an agitated smile and saying he still doesn't like the use of the system at tour events.

Other upsets on the day included Max "The Beast" Mirnyi taking out No. 18 Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(6), Spaniard Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco beating No. 22 Paul-Henri Mathieu, and Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez downing fellow Spaniard and No. 21 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Remaining seeded winners on the day were (4) Nikolay Davydenko (d. (WC) Levine), (9) Tomas Berdych (d. Gicquel), (10) Tommy Haas (d. (Q) Darcis in four), (14) Guillermo Canas (d. Ramirez Hidalgo), and (28) Nicolas Almagro (d. Kuznetsov).

Monday's day session attendance was 35,058, an opening-day record at the US Open, as was the night session, a record 23,737.

Tuesday's highlights include (16) Lleyton Hewitt vs. American Amer Delic to start the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium, (6) James Blake vs. "Iron" Mike Russell in an all-American, and (5) Andy Roddick vs. Justin Gimelstob at night.

Venus, Serena, Rolle Stand as Fellow Americans Fall at US Open

Monday and the opening-day session of the US Open included a tribute to Althea Gibson, who when breaking the color barrier in the 1950s wouldn't have imagined that two African-American women would be the only major contenders in U.S. women's tennis approximately 50 years later.

The No. 12-seeded Venus Williams and the No. 8-seeded Serena Williams plowed over opponents Monday when only two other American women advanced -- one because she played another American.

Venus beat journeywoman Kira Nagy in 54 minutes, while Serena topped Angelique Kerber, both in straight sets. Meghann Shaughnessy advanced when she beat fellow American Vania King in four sets.

But the big surprise came when another African-American made a splash in Ahsha Rolle, who upended No. 17 seed Tatiana Golovin 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 in a late-night match.

Other Americans making the exodus Monday were Alexa Glatch losing to No. 10 Marion Bartoli 6-1, 6-1; Ashley Harkleroad outlasted by Ioana Ralucca Olaru in three; NCAA champ Audra Cohen losing 6-4, 6-1 to Andrea Petkovic; Jill Craybas beaten 6-0, 7-6(4) by Petra Cetkovska; and Lauren Albanese blown out 6-0, 6-2 by Elena Likhovtseva.

World No. 1 Justine Henin led the seeded winners who moved on relatively unscathed on the day, with the Belgian rolling over Julia Goerges 6-0, 6-3.

"I don't have a lot of things to say about that match because there wasn't a lot of rhythm," said the Belgian who is still trying to right an injured shoulder. "She was serving pretty hard, pretty good, but did a lot of mistakes. I just did a good job. Generally it's been positive. I didn't serve that well. I was a bit concerned the last few days with my shoulder. It's getting better, but still a little bit scary."

Other seeded winners were (3) Jelena Jankovic (d. Gajdosova), (5) Ana Ivanovic (d. Nakamura), (14) Elena Dementieva (d. Cohen Aloro), (15) Dinara Safina (d. Castano), (19) Sybille Bammer (d. Tanasugarn), (20) Lucie Safarova (d. Moore), (21) Alona Bondarenko (d. Dulko), (27) Vera Zvonareva (d. Jidkova 6-0 in the third), (28) Ai Sugiyama (d. Klepac).

Orchestrating upsets Monday were Alize Cornet who beat (29) Sam Stosur, and Vera Dushevina who topped (25) Mara Santangelo.

Matches of particular interest Tuesday at the US Open are (2) Maria Sharapova vs. Roberta Vinci (night session), (16) Martina Hingis vs. Mathilde Johansson, (6) Anna Chakvetadze vs. American (WC) Ashley Weinhold, and Alicia Molik vs. (22) Katarina Srebotnik.

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Props to the Bryan brothers for speaking out about the gambling controversy, especially as ATP Player Council representatives. Non-props to the Bryans' agents for telling reporters to stop asking them about the gambling controversy. Michael Llodra and Paul Goldstein are players who have come out admitting they have been approached by gamblers...The Tennis Channel has debuted on DIRECTV, which doubles their subscribership...John Isner on playing Spaniard David Ferrer this summer: "He taught me a lesson out there. I don't want to see that guy any more. He beat me in Cincinnati and in New Haven. You know, yeah, it's good playing against those guys because you know you have to be -- he returns so well. I can't play any loose points on my serve against professionals like this, especially guys in the Top 30."...Mario Ancic has pulled from the US Open with a bad shoulder, replaced in the draw by lucky loser Robin Haase...Billie Jean King summing up why tennis suffers in the U.S., speaking to the Sports Business Journal on the US Open's new rule this year banning reporters from the locker room: "It's ridiculous. Players and organizers need to ensure that the media needs are a priority and not something a player gets around to after having a massage and making a few phone calls."...Wayne Arthurs and long-time girlfriend Caroline Gideskog tied the knot...Taylor Dent, working at the Open for USA Network, says he will undergo another back surgery.

DAVYDENKO DIALOGUE -- Trying to figure out whether Russian Nikolay Davydenko is innocent or guilty concerning the current ATP on-line betting/throwing matches investigation? Decide for yourself, if you understand Russia-English-ese, with Davydenko explaining the stress of playing while under investigation: "I would say it was difficult coming already to Montreal because it's like starting already some investigation, some process. But what I can say? Like if get questions, I say never betting in my life. I don't know how you can betting, and I don't know guys who betting. Because if you see I losing many tournaments first round, in small tournament, like I know guys Top 100 or 80, like I lose of after Wimbledon three weeks in a row first round. Why nobody say, 'Well, like these matches, yeah?' If I betting, if I be like profit for betting, I can do money for all tournament like what I did in 10 weeks losing first round. Normally is no possible. That's was, yeah, and this about press and everything, you know, try to write something, okay, because I read in Russian press, not English. I don't understand good. What Russian tell is completely from my side stupid. It's pretty tough mentally to play." And the verdict is...wha?

HONORING ALTHEA -- The USTA has been doing a lot of things right this year at the US Open, from showcasing tournament improvements to joint press conferences with players such as Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova who shared a media opportunity to celebrate winning the US Open Series. On Monday the USTA will open the night session with the theme "Breaking Barriers," celebrating the 50th anniversary of Althea Gibson's historic victory at the US Open. In 1957 Gibson became the first African-American to raise the US Open trophy after breaking the U.S. tennis color barrier in 1950. She also won the French Open and Wimbledon, 11 Slam titles in all including six in doubles. "She made tennis a better place," said USTA President Jane Brown Grimes, "by opening doors and opening minds. She is finally receiving the recognition she so richly deserves." Included is a well-done intro by USA Network and the two Williams sisters.

US OPEN EXPANDS WITH INDOOR PAVILION -- Scheduled to be completed by the 2008 US Open, the USTA's premier event will expand with a 200,000 square foot indoor tennis pavilion near the East Gate. The pavilion will house 12 indoor courts (nine on the first level, three on the upper level) with viewing areas for all courts, along with training center classrooms, a pro shop, fitness facilities and a cafe. During the US Open a hospitality area and SmashZone will be open, as well as a "superstore," museum and food court. The pavilion will allow the USTA to expand its junior programs, leagues, camps and adult/wheelchair play in Flushing Meadows.

NO ROOM FOR MARTINA IN COMMENTATING BOOTH? -- Former No. 1 Martina Navratilova is solely a spectator this year at the US Open after failing to get picked up for a commentating gig. "It's kind of mind-boggling," Navratilova told Newsday. "When you have a football team and Joe Montana becomes available, you don't say, 'Oh, we already have a quarterback,' but that's exactly what happened." Navratilova says time to spice things up. "I think the commentary is a little vanilla, and I'd like to put some hot chili peppers in there. Maybe they're afraid of what I'd say." And her place in tennis history? "I'm the greatest of all time," Navratilova said. "That's what everyone else says, so who am I to argue?...The numbers don't lie. What was it that Muhammad Ali said? 'If it's true, it ain't bragging.'"