Sharapova, Roddick, Young Cruise at US Open

Roddick lost the first set to a player he doesn't match up particularly well with from the baseline, but then the Argentine won only three games over the next two sets before calling it quits.

"It's unfortunate that Jose hurt his knee," Roddick said. "I though he played a very good first set. It's not the way you want to get through but at the beginning of the day all you want to do is get through to the third round. I felt like I started playing a lot better in the second set so hopefully I can carry that through into the next round."

Roddick's third round opponent will be Thomas Johansson of Sweden in a likely preview of the Davis cup semifinals at Sweden later in September. Young will face Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, who outlasted Russian Igor Andreev 7-6 in the fifth set.

"I tried to practice, but I couldn't play," an exasperated Gasquet addressed the media after a morning practice effort, and after handing Young the walkover. "I get fever yesterday night. I had a big problem, I get fever. I can't play in three sets in my match today. It's impossible for me. I am really, really disappointed because it's an important tournament for me. I can't. It's impossible. I did my best. I practice this morning, but...I did my best. Nothing is possible for me."

Other seeded winners Thursday were (4) Nikolay Davydenko (d. Kiefer), (6) James Blake (d. Santoro in five), (9) Tomas Berdych (d. Bolelli), (10) Tommy Haas (d. Petzschner in four), (19) Andrew Murray (d. Bjorkman 6-1 in the fifth), and (28) Nicolas Almagro (d. Horna who retired in the third with injury).

"He's in really good shape for his age," Murray said after the five-set win over Bjorkman. "He's got a lot of experience. This year he's actually played well in the Grand Slams. Obviously last year made a great run at Wimbledon. I knew it was going to be a difficult match because of his experience. He changes his tactics quite a lot when you're out there. You know, he's one of the best returners."

In other matches Korea's Hyung-Taik Lee upset No. 14 Guillermo Canas in straight sets, France's Sebastien Grosjean toppled giant Max Mirnyi in four, Austrian Stefan Koubek beat Michael Llodra, and Spain's Fernando Verdasco straight-setted Gilles Simon.

In doubles the top-seeded Bryan brothers beat fellow Americans John Isner and Scott Oudsema 6-4, 6-3.

Highlights of Friday play are American Mardy Fish vs. (8) Tommy Robredo, the injured (2) Rafael Nadal vs. Serb Janko Tipsarevic, (3) Novak Djokovic vs. Radek Stepanek, Tim Henman vs. Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, (16) Lleyton Hewitt vs. Agustin Calleri, (25) Marat Safin vs. Swiss Stan Wawrinka, (12) Ivan Ljubicic vs. Andrei Pavel, and American Wayne Odesnik vs. (20) Juan Ignacio Chela.

Sharapova, Top Seeds Continue to Cruise at US Open

Aussie Casey Dellacqua was the sacrifice to the alter that is Maria Sharapova Thursday night at the US Open where the top seeds went unscathed, and where the red-dressed Russian advanced into the third round with a 6-1, 6-0 win.

Other Top 10-seeded winners were all Russians in (4) Svetlana Kuznetsova (d. Pin 6-0 in the third), (6) Anna Chakvetadze (d. Pratt), and (7) Nadia Petrova (d. Rodionova 6-1 in the third).

Lower seeds into the third round were (11) Patty Schnyder (d. Bremond, bagel in the second), (13) Nicole Vaidisova (d. Pennetta), (16) Martina Hingis (d. Parmentier), (18) Shahar Peer (d. Mattek), (26) Sania Mirza (d. Granville), (30) Agnieszka Radwanska (d. Razzano), and (31) Anabel Medina Garrigues (d. Dominguez Lino).

Hingis said her strategy was to get to the net more this year.

"Sometimes from the baseline, especially against the wind, it's very tiring, so you try to shorten up the points a little bit," Hingis said. "Like I did the dropshot the first point of the last game. Just really tried to dictate and cut out the angles. That's definitely the key to my game. I know I can't overpower those girls, because she hit a very deep, good forehand, good serve." 

Seeded upset victims were (32) Michaella Krajicek, falling to Agnes Szavay; (22) Katarina Srebotnik, losing to Maria Kirilenko; and (24) Francesca Schiavone stopped by Tamira Paszek.

Other unseeded players into the third round were Victoria Azarenka (d. Cibulkova) and Julia Vakulenko (d. Kostanic Tosic).

Highlights of Friday play in Flushing Meadows is (1) Justine Henin vs. Russian Ekaterina Makarova, (8) Serena Williams vs. (27) Vera Zvonareva, (12) Venus Williams vs. (21) Alona Bondarenko (featured night match), (5) Ana Ivanovic vs. Vera Dushevina, (15) Dinara Safina vs. American Ahsha Rolle, and (3) Jelena Jankovic vs. Alize Cornet.

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
From AFP: "Match-fixing, some of which is linked to internet gambling, is not uncommon in professional tennis, according to a damaging report in L'Equipe today. Two elite players made the claims, under anonymity, in an interview with the French sports daily claiming they have witnessed matches being "thrown" and that they had personally been offered bribes. The allegations come in the wake of the controversy surrounding Russia's Nikolay Davydenko, who is the subject of an ATP enquiry...The unnamed sources in L'Equipe's report called on the sport's authorities to act, "before things get out of hand." "I know several players who have been approached, and who had the exact same experience as me," said one player, identified only as Mister B and who claimed he had been approached physically by someone offering him 50,000 dollars to lose a match. He added: "Not for one second did I believe it was a joke. 50,000 dollars is more than what I would have got for getting to the semi-final in this tournament, and it was tax-free cash. I refused his offer straight away, but I was left wondering what direction we're going in." The other player, identified as Mister A, said the availability of internet terminals in the players lounges has given rise to tennis coaches gambling on matches. "If you look on the internet terminals in the players' lounges you will see that the gambling sites are very popular. I think that about 60-80% of coaches are betting," said Mister A. "I personally know a lot of guys who are internet betting."...Look for news Friday as the ATP has called a press conference at the US Open to make an announcement...Martina Hingis on her new blacked-out demo racquet she is using at the US Open: "Well, you know, you feel great, everything is going well, everything works. Then, you know, sometimes -- I don't know. You have to have the feeling that you try to have the best materials. Sometimes it's definitely also in the head, you know, what works."...Jonas Bjorkman on the upcoming Davis Cup semifinal against the U.S. in Sweden: "I think it's going to be a great week, no doubt about that. We have a great venue. Hopefully the Swedes finally appreciate that we are in a semifinal. They want to win. If we don't win, we suck (smiling)."...From X-Discussion board member grendel: "He's a very interesting fellow, [Richard] Gasquet, as well as a wonderful tennis player. But he's also the sort of chap I can imagine having a headache who then convinces himself he has a brain tumour."...PNC Bank will sponsor Pam Shriver's annual charity tennis tournament in Baltimore on Oct. 9, featuring Andy Roddick and the Bryan brothers. 

Scouting Reports for Federer v Isner US Open Match-up

American fans are gearing up for big-serving rookie sensation John Isner against world No. 1 Roger Federer on Saturday at the US Open. Turns out a good number of players are also looking forward to seeing how the almost-untouchable Isner serve stacks up against the almost-untouchable all-around game of the Swiss.

Does Britain's Andy Murray think the match deserves the hype?

"Definitely, yes," Murray said. "I think it's going to be a great match. The guy -- him and Karlovic definitely have the best two serves in the game. I'd probably say Isner is better from the baseline, returns better than Karlovic. Federer's played Karlovic three times and only broken him once. If Isner returns better and Federer isn't on his game, then, yeah, it will definitely be an interesting match. Definitely Federer is clearly the favorite, but you never know. In Slams, if maybe Federer gets nervous, I don't know. He hasn't in the past. But it's a tough match against an American. You never know. If he plays like he has been the last few months, then I'd probably say Federer will come through."

Andy Roddick offered up his scouting report on the match.

"Isner's going to be very tall and Roger's going to be very good," Roddick summed up. "You know, it's going to be interesting. I think if John can get -- try to get to some breakers, you know, at least hold his serve, then who knows. John probably has a game that can make Roger a little bit more uncomfortable than most people just because -- you can go game sometimes without hitting a ball. That being said, Roger's done well against big servers, myself included. It will be interesting to watch. I think Roger's going to definitely try to get that early break in the first set, just kind of get out in front. I think that's going to be a key."

Also see:
US Open Blog Mailbag: Crazy Outfits, Roger on Althea
http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2007-08-30/285.php