08/25/2008 - Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rafael Nadal's first match as a top seed in a Grand Slam was anything but easy, but the world's top-ranked player did advance in straight sets on the first day of play at the 2008 U.S. Open.
Nadal posted a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) victory over German qualifier Bjorn Phau. Another Spaniard, fourth-seeded David Ferrer, also moved on in straight sets, as did sixth-seeded Scot Andy Murray.
Ferrer, a semifinalist last year, shook off a sluggish first set and notched a 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, 6-2 win over Argentina's Martin Vassallo Arguello, while Murray had little trouble in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 rout of Sergio Roitman, another Argentine.
Nadal, coming off a gold medal performance at the Summer Olympics, is playing a Grand Slam as a top seed for the first time, having officially usurped Roger Federer as the world's top-ranked player following his victory in Beijing. He earned the top spot thanks to victories over the Swiss superstar in the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon -- the latter ending Federer's reign on the famed grass courts of the All England Club.
Now, Nadal will try to end Federer's grasp of the U.S. Open trophy. Federer, the tournament's second seed, has won the crown at Flushing Meadows four years running.
Nadal, meanwhile, has never been past the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. He lost to Mikhail Youzhny in the 2006 quarterfinals and last year fell in the fourth round to countrymate Ferrer.
Phau should have been no match for Nadal, who needed nearly three hours to finish him off. Nadal broke Phau's serve just once through the first two sets, then broke for a 5-4 lead in the third only to watch Phau return the favor in the next game. Phau then saved three break points and Nadal held serve to send the set to a tiebreak, which Nadal took control of late.
In all, Nadal converted just 2-of-13 break-point chances and committed 35 unforced errors.
Other winners on Monday included seventh-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina, 10th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland and 16th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon.
Nalbandian cruised past Brazil's Marcos Daniel, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, while Wawrinka advanced with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Italy's Simone Bolelli. Simon needed four sets to dispose of Spain's Marcel Granollers, 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
France's Gael Monfils was also a straight-set winner, as was Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber. One minor upset saw Japan's Kei Nishikori eliminate 29th-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina in four sets.
<< Lakers sign Chinese guard Sun Yue
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Lakers signed point guard
Sun Yue to a multi-year contract on Monday. Terms of the deal were not
released.
The 23-year-old was the Lakers' second-round choice in the 2007 draft o
<< Washington Redskins 2008 Season Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Once again, Daniel Snyder just couldn't resist making the
big splash.
After an unusually quiet offseason, it took just one day of training camp for
the circus-like atmosphere normally associated with the Washington Redskin
<< Chargers sign Tucker and Gregory to extensions
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Chargers have signed linebacker
Jyles Tucker and safety Keith Gregory to contract extensions.
Tucker inked a five-year deal that will take him through the 2012 season,
while Gregory's four-
<< Philadelphia Eagles 2008 Season Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After coming painfully close to earning a return trip to
the playoffs in 2007, the Philadelphia Eagles wasted no time in attempting to
close the gap between themselves and the NFC's elite once the 2008 season
officially opene
Blackhawks ink Aliu >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Blackhawks signed right wing Akim
Aliu to a three-year contract on Monday.
A native of Okene, Nigeria, Aliu tallied a career-high 61 points (28 goals) in
60 regular-season games last season for
Orioles win suspended game >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lou Montanez's RBI single in the 14th inning
gave the Baltimore Orioles a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox to complete a
rain-suspended game that had originally started on April 28.
The game was origina
Flyers invite D Berard to training camp >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Defenseman Bryan Berard will attend the
Flyers' training camp in September on a try-out basis, Philadelphia general
manager Paul Holmgren announced on Monday.
"Bryan has been around a number of yea
Mariners send P Lowe to minors >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners optioned right-handed
pitcher Mark Lowe to Triple-A Tacoma on Monday.
Lowe, 25, is 1-4 with one save and a 5.73 earned run average in 50 relief
appearances this season.
To tak
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