TENNIS: The enforced absence of the Williams sisters has left the women's singles event wide open at this year's US Open, with the two top Belgians, Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, being widely tipped as the most likely to take advantage.
Chanda Rubin, the number eight seed, was not being seriously considered as a potential winner, but she clearly must have hoped for a good run deep into the second week. But the American came miserably unstuck on the opening morning of the tournament, losing 6-4, 6-4 against Venezuela's Maria Vento-Kabchi.
The first couple of days of any grand slam event are frenetic, but nowhere more so than at Flushing Meadows, where there are totally different crowds for the day and night sessions. Some players find it virtually impossible to cope with scheduling, to say nothing of the often intense humidity and the incessant noise.
This was Rubin's 13th consecutive appearance, so she should be used to it. But it did not show yesterday. "It was just a really bad match for me. I just didn't play with enough glue," she said.
Glue was what Rubin may have felt was necessary to keep her suspect shoulder in one piece, an injury that has severely limited her tournament play recently. Not that she was making excuses.
"I could have played a much better match regardless of the shoulder."
Understandably Rubin was totally dejected. At 27 years old her chances are fast fading, and she knew well enough that without Serena and Venus around the opportunity was immense.
"Their absence is worth a grand slam title to somebody. It's an enormous opportunity, " she said.
Rubin reached the last 16 last year, equalling her best ever here, and was obviously hoping that her current place in the world's top 10 would be mirrored by her performance.
"I've had a decent year, but this is a really disappointing loss, and it's a bitter pill to be out so early."
Amelie Mauresmo of France, the number five seed, had no such problems on the opening day, defeating the Indonesian Angelique Widjaja 6-0, 6-2.
Mauresmo reached the semi-finals here last year, and will see the next fortnight as a golden chance to reach her second grand slam final - the first being in Melbourne four years ago - and perhaps land her first major title.
Lindsay Davenport showed no signs of the foot injury that had threatened to cut short her US Open campaign as she charged into the second round with a 6-1 6-0 demolition of Belgium's Els Callen on Monday.
The third-seeded American, champion here in 1998, raced through the opening set in just 21 minutes then turned up the tempo in the second, completing the match in a lightning-quick 47 minutes.
Davenport's participation in the tournament had appeared in doubt on Saturday when she was forced to retire midway through the Pilot Pen final against Jennifer Capriati because of a painful, pinched toe nerve in her left foot.
The former world number one skipped a scheduled practice session on Sunday after receiving a cortisone injection on Saturday evening to help with the pain.
"I was so nervous this morning," said Davenport, who will undergo surgery after the US Open.
"I'm just happy to get through this match and get through quickly.
"It will be tough with my foot but hopefully I can keep playing well. I'm healthy everywhere else.
"Today it felt okay but it's just something I'm going to have to deal with. I just really wanted to play here, hopefully I can keep feeling healthy. If I keep getting through maybe I will cause some damage."
In the second round Davenport will take on Italy's Maria Elena Camerin, who beat the Czech Daja Bedanova 6-4, 6-0.
In the men's competition, third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero moved into the second round, overcoming Jan Vacek 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The French Open champion lost his way a little in the second set before refinding his range on his fizzing groundstrokes to secure the win. The Spaniard will next meet Jurgen Melzer of Austria, who beat American Brian Baker 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Britain's Greg Rusedski suffered an early exit from the tournament, beaten 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 by the Frenchman Gregory Corraz.
Men's singles: K Carlsen (Den) bt J Morrison (US) 6-2 3-6 6-3 6-4; D Sanguinetti (Ita) bt R Ramirez Hidalgo (Spa) 4-6 6-0 3-6 6-1 6-1; T Martin (US) bt R Yim (US) 6-1 7-6 (9-7) 6-2; R Delgado (Par) bt S Grosjean (Fra) 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-4; J Melzer (Aut) bt B Baker (US) 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3; M Fish (US) bt J Johansson (Swe) 6-3 6-2 6-4; F Verdasco (Spa) bt T Robredo (Spa) 6-3 6-4 6-2; JC Ferrero (Spa) bt J Vacek (Cze) 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-2; K Kucera (Slovak) bt A Popp (Ger) 6-2 7-5 6-3; G Carraz (Fra) bt G Rusedski (Bri) 6-4 4-6 6-2 5-7 6-4
Women's singles: M Matevzic (Slovenia) bt C Morariu (US) 6-3 7-5; L Raymond (US) bt T Poutchek (Belarus) 6-3 7-6 (7-1); M Elena Camerin (Ita) bt D Bedanova (Cze) 6-4 6-0; L Davenport (US) bt E Callens (Bel) 6-1 6-0; M Sequera (Ven) bt Z Ondraskova (Cze) 6-2 6-1; B Schett (Aut) bt J Husarova (Slovak) 7-6 (7-3) 7-5; A Molik (Aus) bt J Kostanic (Croatia) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3; M Casanova (Swi) bt E Daniilidou (Gre) 6-3 6-1; S Cohen Aloro (Fra) bt A Jidkova (Rus) 6-2 6-4; S Kuznetsova (Rus) bt F Pennetta (Ita) 6-1 6-1; A Mauresmo (Fra) bt A Widjaja (Indonesia) 6-0 6-2; A Coetzer (SA) bt G Lastra (US) 6-0 6-2; P Schnyder (Swi) bt B Bielik (US) 6-1 6-4; D Chladkova (Cze) bt A Serra Zanetti (Ita) 6-4 1-6 6-1; M Vento-Kabchi (Ven) bt C Rubin (US) 6-4 6-4; V Zvonareva (Rus) bt L Kurhajcova (Slovak) 6-3 6-2; N Petrova (Rus) bt C Castano (Col) 6-4 6-0; A Harkleroad (US) bt V Douchevina (Rus) 6-4 6-2; E Likhovtseva (Rus) bt I Majoli (Cro) 6-1 6-1; T Tanasugarn (Thai) bt R Grande (Ita) 6-0 7-5
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)