August 29, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-us-Sani 30, 1424

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NEW YORK, Aug 28: Third seed Lindsay Davenport expanded on the theme of the day at the U.S. Open by following title contenders Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters into the next round with the minimum of fuss on Wednesday.

The American, champion here in 1998, beat Italian Maria Elena Camerin 6-2 6-4 in the first match of the evening session at Flushing Meadows.

Earlier, Wimbledon men’s champion Federer opened his U.S. Open campaign with a first-round win, Argentine Jose Acasuso retiring because of cramps with the Swiss player leading 5-7 6-3 6-3 2-0.

Women’s world number one Clijsters thrashed American Laura Granville 6-1 6-1 in 49 minutes.

In the other match of the evening session, American James Blake clinically disposed of 27th-seeded Argentine Mariano Zabaleta 7-6 6-3 6-2 to reach the second round.

Davenport, a former world number one and three-times grand slam winner, has had her last 18 months disrupted by knee surgery and a more recent foot injury.

But despite still appearing a little hesitant on Arthur Ashe Court, the 27-year-old was happy enough with her progress.

Davenport, who will undergo more surgery after the U.S. Open, said the thought of curtailing her career because of fitness concerns was not on the agenda.

Federer, the second seed, swiftly recovered from a stuttering start to impose himself on Acasuso.

The Swiss would have expected minimal resistance from the 75th-ranked Acasuso after the claycourter had won only one match since April and suffered first-round exits in six of seven previous events.

The Argentine offered plenty of fight on his way to taking the opening set but there was never a hint of panic from the stylish Federer.

His victim in last month’s Wimbledon final, Mark Philippoussis, was also in control. The 20th-seeded Australian beat Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-2 7-6 6-4.

Belgian Clijsters, yet to win a grand slam crown, was sublime against Granville and was joined in the third round by ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova, who survived a late scare against Ukrainian Julia Vakulenko to win 6-0 7-6.

It was not a victory without drama, the emotionally frail Slovak almost bursting into tears when she missed a match point in the 10th game of the second set.

But Hantuchova quickly pulled herself together and will next meet Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn, who ousted 18th-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder 6-4 6-3.

Amelie Mauresmo also advanced, the fifth seed trouncing fellow Frenchwoman Stephanie Cohen Aloro 6-2 6-2.

After skipping Wimbledon through injury, Mauresmo said she was finally healthy and looking forward to a successful run at Flushing Meadows.

Results: (prefix number denotes seeding):

MEN’S (first round): James Blake (U.S.) beat 27-Mariano Zabaleta (Argentina) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-2; Sargis Sargsian (Armenia) beat Amer Delic (U.S.) 4-6 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 7-5; 10-Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) beat Mario Ancic (Croatia) 3-6 6-3 5-7 6-2 6-2; Jean-Rene Lisnard (France) beat Magnus Norman (Sweden) 6-2 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 0-6 7-6 (7-4); Jan-Michael Gambill (U.S.) beat David Sanchez (Spain) 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 6-2; 7-Carlos Moya (Spain) beat Scott Draper (Australia) 4-6 6-4 7-5 7-6 (8-6); 13-David Nalbandian (Argentina) beat Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 6-3; Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Fernando Vicente (Spain) 6-4 6-3 6-3; Anthony Dupuis (France) beat Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) 5-7 6-4 3-6 6-3 7-5; Wesley Moodie (South Africa) beat Albert Montanes (Spain) 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 6-2; 2-Roger

Federer (Switzerland) beat Jose Acasuso (Argentina) 5-7 6-3 6-3 2-0, retired; 22-Younes El Aynaoui (Morocco) beat Alex Kim (U.S.) 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-3; Nicolas Massu (Chile) beat 30-Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) 6-3 6-3 6-2; 20-Mark Philippoussis (Australia) beat Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia & Montenegro) 6-2 7-6 (7-4) 6-4; Thomas Enqvist (Sweden) beat Albert Portas (Spain) 6-2 6-3 6-1; Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) beat Nicolas Mahut (France) 6-2 6-4 7-5

WOMEN’S (second round): 3-Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) beat Maria Elena Camerin (Italy) 6-2 6-4; 13-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Ashley Harkleroad (U.S.) 6-3 4-6 6-1; 14-Amanda Coetzer (South Africa) beat Barbara Schett (Austria) 3-6 7-5 6-2; Melinda Czink (Hungary) beat 28-Lisa Raymond (U.S.) 4-6 6-4 6-1; Alicia Molik (Australia) beat 12-Conchita Martinez (Spain) 7-5 6-4; 24-Paola Suarez (Argentina) beat Milagros Sequera (Venezuela) 6-1 6-0; 19-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Denisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-2; 17-Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) beat Maja Matevzic (Slovenia) 6-3 7-5; 27-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Petra Mandula (Hungary) 6-3 6-3; 1-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Laura Granville (U.S.) 6-1 6-1; Fabiola Zuluaga (Colombia) beat Myriam Casanova (Switzerland) 7-5 6-3; 9-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Julia Vakulenko (Ukraine) 6-0 7-6 (7-5); Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Anca Barna (Germany) 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5; Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) beat Maria Vento-Kabchi (Venezuala) 7-5 6-3; 5-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Stephanie Cohen Aloro (France) 6-2 6-2; Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) beat 18-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 6-4 6-3.—Reuters