TENNIS/US Open: "Keep it moving, folks. Don't chit-chat on the stairs." There's no tennis business like Flushing Meadows business, where the relationship between the spectators and the action at the US Open is like no other major tournament.
It takes a special mentality to cope with the chaos, and Greg Rusedski has coped pretty well, most notably five years ago when he became the first British man to reach the final here since Fred Perry in 1936. Yesterday he won his opening match against Alex Kim of the US 6-1, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.
However, during the intervening years he has singularly failed to get beyond the last 16 of any slam in 17 attempts. The ambition remains, and he continues to talk a good tournament, clearly hoping that what happened in 1997, when he was runner-up to Australia's Pat Rafter, can be repeated.
This was not entirely a straightforward victory, and Rusedski will need to be a good deal less wayward in his next match against Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan, who entered the Open on the back of a tournament victory in the Hamlet Cup on Long Island, and who yesterday made short work of the American teenager Prakash Amritraj, the son of the former Indian professional, Vijay.
Tim Henman's injured right shoulder is still not fully mended, which may yet play a crucial part later in the week, but yesterday the Finn Tuomas Ketola, a qualifier ranked a lowly 223, presented him with no problems whatsoever, Henman winning 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in an hour and 20 minutes, and barely breaking sweat. This was just what any doctor would have ordered.
Towards the end of the match during a changeover, Henman grimaced as he flexed his right arm and pressed a finger into the shoulder joint, but there was no apparent restriction in his play. Not that Ketola extended him beyond the perfunctory, presenting Henman with no significant weight of serve or shot. Greater tests await.
All the talk at this year's US Open has been of who or what can stop the Williams sisters but not everyone appears to have the necessary stomach for the fight. As the world number four Jelena Dokic should be a contender but yesterday she looked anything but, losing 6-3, 6-2 to Elena Bovina in the second round.
Dokic's listless performance had none of the confidence or determination that has got her this far; instead she looked tired and frustrated, as though the effort of constantly playing catch up to the world's top two was just too much.
"I just wasn't on today," sighed Dokic. "I felt fine but I just had one of those days when nothing is right.
"Everything I hit she was hitting back. She played well and she didn't give me a chance to come back."
Bovina is 6ft 2in, equipped with enviable power and was touted two years ago as the stand-out player in group of talented young Russians. Judging by the way she took advantage of Dokic's off-day, things might just be coming together.
Serena Williams showed the form that the others fear as she breezed into the third round as she swept aside Darina Sarfina 6-0 6-1.
The number one seed, a US Open winner in 1999, took just 40 minutes to dispose of the Russian, who never looked like threatening the powerful American.
Williams took the first set in just 18 minutes before quickly wrapping up the one-sided contest on the Arthur Ashe court.
The former world number one Pete Sampras advanced to the second round beating the Spaniard Albert Portas 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
Guardian Service.
