August 30, 2007	Thursday	Sha'aban 16, 1428

NEW YORK, Aug 29: Maria Sharapova’s dazzling play matched her eye-catching attire on Tuesday as the Russian opened the defence of her US Open crown in impeccably stylish fashion.

Sporting a flaming red dress with over 600 Swarovski crystals on the bodice, second-seeded Sharapova needed just 50 minutes to see off Italy’s world No 51 Roberta Vinci 6-0, 6-1 and move into the second round.

“Every corner I turn here I get goose bumps because of all the great memories,” Sharapova said. “When you come back to the place where you won your second major it’s incredible.”

There were few upsets on the second day of the final Grand Slam of the year, played under sunny skies in the day and with a cool, comfortable breeze during the evening.The most notable upset of the day had ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova sent packing by Ukrainian Julia Vakulenko 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, marking the 24-year-old Slovak’s earliest exit at Flushing Meadows since her 2001 debut.

Elsewhere, 2004 Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova whipped Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-2, 6-3 while 1997 winner Martina Hingis bounced Frenchwoman Mathilde Johansson 6-0, 6-3.

Other winners included sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze, No 11 seed Patty Schnyder, 13th seed Nicole Vaidisova and No 26 Sania Mirza.

On the men’s side, 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt rolled over Amer Delic 6-2, 6-4, 6-2, while third seed Novak Djokovic looked like a legitimate threat to end Roger Federer’s three-year reign with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Robin Haase.

Fifth seeded Andy Roddick and fellow American, sixth seed James Blake, also advanced to the second round with straight sets victories.

Hewitt smacked 31 winners and won 95 percent of the points on his first serve during his victory over the shell-shocked Delic.

“He doesn’t have the best passing shots out there,” said Hewitt. “So it was a matter of me mixing it up when I had the opportunity, come in on his backhand, make him press.”

Delic said the 26-year-old Hewitt may be overlooked as an Open contender because of the Grand Slam success of Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“The guy does not give you absolutely anything,” said Delic, ranked 71st.

Tuesday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Men’s singles:

First round: 5-Andy Roddick (US) beat Justin Gimelstob (US) 7-6, 6-3, 6-3; Jose Acasuso (Argentina) beat Martin Vassallo Arguello (Argentina) 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 6-4; 24-David Nalbandian (Argentina) beat Ivan Navarro (Spain) 7-5, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (8-6); Agustin Calleri (Argentina) beat Andreas Seppi (Italy) 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5; Florent Serra (France) beat Werner Eschauer (Austria) 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-2; Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat Kristian Pless (Denmark) 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-5; 15-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Florian Mayer (Germany) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3; Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) beat Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-2; 6-James Blake (U.S.) beat Michael Russell (US) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); Michael Llodra (France) beat 29-Filippo Volandri (Italy) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Andrei Pavel (Romania) beat Dominik Meffert (Germany) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5; Fabrice Santoro (France) beat Albert Montanes (Spain) 6-1, 6-7 (8-10), 6-2, 6-1; 3-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Robin Haase (Netherlands) 6-2, 6-1, 6-3; 12-Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia) beat Kristof Vliegen (Belgium) 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), 6-1; Arnaud Clement (France) beat 32-Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4; Thomas Johansson (Sweden) beat Nicolas Massu (Chile) 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-3; Wayne Odesnik (US) beat Danai Udomchoke (Thailand) 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2); 31-Juergen Melzer (Austria) beat Diego Hartfield (Argentina) 6-4, 7-5, 7-5; Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Nicolas Mahut (France) 6-0, 6-4, 6-2; Stefan Koubek (Austria) beat Sam Querrey (US) 7-6 (7-1), 6-1, 6-1; Dudi Sela (Israel) beat Nicolas Lapentti (Ecuador) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3; 23-Juan Monaco (Argentina) beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5; 20-Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat Michael McClune (US) 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7-0); 16-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Amer Delic (US) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.

Women’s singles:

First round: 18-Shahar Peer (Israel) beat Meilen Tu (US) 6-4, 7-6 (9-7); Tamira Paszek (Austria) beat Greta Arn (Germany) 6-4, 6-4; Bethanie Mattek (US) beat Madison Brengle (US) 6-4, 6-1; 2-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Roberta Vinci (Italy) 6-0, 6-1; Lourdes Dominguez (Spain) beat Cho Yoon Jeong (South Korea) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; Agnes Szavay (Hungary) beat Sandra Kloesel (Germany) 6-1, 6-2; Casey Dell’Acqua (Australia) beat Yaroslava Shvedova (Russia) 6-3, 6-2; 24-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Nathalie Dechy (France) 6-3, 6-1; 32-Michaella Krajicek (Netherlands) beat Alberta Brianti (Italy) 6-2, 6-0; 31-Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) beat Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) 6-3, 6-3; Anastasia Rodionova (Russia) beat Olga Savchuk (Ukraine) 6-4, 6-4; Nicole Pratt (Australia) beat Jamea Jackson (US) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0; Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Peng Shuai (China) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; 7-Nadia Petrova (Russia) beat Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) 6-3, 6-1; 6-Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) beat Ashley Weinhold (US) 6-1, 6-1; 22-Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) beat Alicia Molik (Australia) 6-2, 6-2; Julia Vakulenko (Ukraine) beat 9-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Jelena Kostanic Tosic (Croatia) beat Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-4, 6-2; Severine Bremond (France) beat Edina Gallovits (Romania) 6-1, 7-5; 16-Martina Hingis (Switzerland) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 6-0, 6-3; Pauline Parmentier (France) beat Tatjana Malek (Germany) 6-2, 6-4; 13-Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) beat Alla Kudryavtseva (Russia) 6-1, 6-2; Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Martina Mueller (Germany) 6-3, 6-1; 11-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 6-3, 6-0; Dominika Cibulkova (Slovakia) beat 23-Tathiana Garbin (Italy) 6-4, 6-3; 26-Sania Mirza (India) beat Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1; 30-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Akiko Morigami (Japan) 6-2, 6-1; Camille Pin (France) beat Tatiana Perebiynis (Ukraine) 6-1, 6-2; Laura Granville (US) beat Olivia Sanchez (France) 6-2, 6-2; Virginie Razzano (France) beat Emilie Loit (France) 6-1, 6-2; 4-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) beat Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 6-2, 6-3.

—Reuters