US Open Week One

Men’s Singles

• Most Aces – 67 John Isner
• Fastest Serve – 147mph Taylor Dent
• Longest Match - 60 games - 2nd round Dent bt Navarro 6-4 5-7 6-7(1-7) 7-5 7-6(11-9)

In a week of few surprises in the Men’s draw 14 of the top 16 seeds progressed through to the last 16 for the first time in US Open history – only fifth seed Andy Roddick and ninth seed Gilles Simon failed to reach their allotted places. The last time this occurred as a Grand Slam was at the 2007 Australian Open. 

The defeat of 2003 Champion Roddick was the first major upset. The Wimbledon finalist lost a gripping third round match to 24 year-old compatriot John Isner.  Having fought back from a two set deficit Roddick saved a match point in the fourth set before giant 6’ 9’’ Isner claimed victory 7-5 in the final set tie-break.

- With his second round win over Marc Gicquel Roddick has now won a record 17 night matches under the floodlights at Flushing Meadows.

The top four Men’s seeds Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic all safely negotiated the first week without any major problems. 

Despite a brief hiccup in the second round against Paul Capdeville British No. 1 Murray has looked impressive in New York.  He looked especially sharp under the lights in beating American Taylor Dent in the third round just losing seven games.  He will go into the second week confident that he has plenty of energy in the tank for tougher matches to come as he aims to win his first Grand Slam.

- Murray won a massive 49% of points against Dent’s serve.  

Defending Champion Federer cruised through the opening two rounds but then looked off form against 2001 Champion Lleyton Hewitt in the third round.  The Swiss eventually battled to a four-set win for his 14th consecutive victory over the Australian.  The top seed next takes on fourteenth seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo for a place in the quarter-finals.

-Federer last loss in New York was in four sets to David Nalbandian in the fourth round in 2003.

Both third seed Nadal and 2007 finalist Djokovic have dropped a set en route to the last 16 – Nadal to Nicolas Kiefer in the second round and Djokovic to American qualifier Jesse Witten in the third round. Nadal will continue his quest to complete a career Grand Slam when he plays 13th seed Gael Monfils in the fourth round.  Number four seed Djokovic next takes on 15th seed Radek Stepanek for a place in the last eight.

- Nadal has reached at least the fourth round of every Grand Slam he has played since the 2005 US Open.

Day 3 marked the end of Marat Safin’s Grand Slam career as he bowed out with a four set loss to Austrian Jurgen Melzer in the first round. The former world number one US Open champion in 2000 announced at the beginning of the year that he would retire at the end of the season.

Marat Safin’s career highlights

• Nine non-consecutive weeks at the number one ranking. First reached the top spot on November 20th 2000 aged 20yrs and 9 months – the second youngest to do so after Hewitt.
• 2000 US Open Champion aged twenty shocking Pete Sampras 6-4 6-3 6-3 in a one-sided final.
• 2005 Australian Open Champion with a four set win over Hewitt. Defeated defending champion Federer 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 9-7 in a thrilling semi-final.
• Two runner up finishes in Melbourne losing to Thomas Johansson in 2002 and to Federer in 2004, having defeated four-time Champion Andre Agassi in a five-set semi-final
• Semi-finalist at Roland Garros in 2002 – losing to Juan Carlos Ferrero - and Wimbledon in 2008 losing to Federer.
• Amongst 15 career titles winner of five ATP Masters Series titles – Toronto 2000, Paris 2000, 2002 and 2004 and Madrid 2004.

The US Open also said farewell to 36 year-old Fabrice Santoro who lost in the first round of his 18th US Open.  The mercurial Frenchman was playing in his 69th Grand Slam singles tournament (an open era record) including his 45th consecutively.  His best results included reaching the quarter finals of the 2006 Australian Open and claiming three Grand Slam doubles crowns.  

- At the 2004 French Open Santoro won the longest match in tennis history beating Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 3-6 16-14 after six hours and thirty three minutes spread over two days.

Women’s Singles

• Most Aces – 24 Serena Williams
• Fastest Serve – 123mph Venus Williams
• Longest Match – 35 games 2nd round Shvedova bt Jankovic 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6)

The first week of the women’s singles was marked by a number of major upsets.  World number one Dinara Safina created major headlines by hitting 35 double faults in three matches.  Having battled past Olivia Rogowska and Kristina Barrois in three sets she squandered three match points in losing on a final set tie-break to Petra Kvitova.

- Since 1998 the top seed has only taken the title in New York on two occasions – Serena Williams in 2002 and Justine Henin in 2007.

Diminutive American Melanie Oudin thrilled the home fans with consecutive three sets victories over 4th seed Elena Dementieva and 2006 Champion Maria Sharapova. It has been a breakthrough season for 17 year-old Oudin who, as qualifier, beat Jelena Jankovic en route to the fourth round at Wimbledon.

- Oudin has won 16 of 20 three set matches she has played in 2009.

2008 finalist and fifth seed Jankovic failed to convert two match points in the final set tie-break to lose to Yaroslava Shvedova in the second round.  For the 21 year-old Shvedova it was a first career win over a top ten player.  For Jankovic the loss means she has failed to reach a Grand Slam quarter final in 2009.

- It is the earliest that both Dementieva and Jankovic have lost in a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.

There were plenty of early upsets with former world number 1 Ana Ivanovic and 16th seed Virginie Razzano falling in the first round.  12th seed Agnieszka Radwanska, 14th seed Marion Bartoli and Samantha Stosur seeded 15th were all sent packing in round two and number eight seed Victoria Azarenka was beaten in the third round.

In the fourth round two-time champion Venus Williams and 2005 winner Clijsters clashed in a hugely anticipated encounter on the Arthur Ashe stadium.  In a dramatic match of fluctuating fortunes and blistering baseline hitting it was the Belgian who emerged with a 6-0 0-6 6-4 victory.  It was only the 11th match of Clijsters’s hugely impressive comeback to the tour and already her third win over a top ten opponent.

- In 2005 Clijsters came from behind to beat Venus 4-6 7-5 6-1 in the quarter finals en route to the title. She now only trails the American 5-6 in their head-to-head series.

Venus’s sister defending champion Serena Williams has looked impressive reaching the quarter finals without the loss of set.  It is the eighth time the 27 year-old has reached at least the quarter finals in New York as she looks to win three Grand Slams in a year for the second time in her career after her achievements in 2002.

- As a 17 year-old at the 1999 US Open; Serena claimed her first major title with consecutive victories over Clijsters, Conchita Martinez, Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis.

Second seeded Williams next plays 10th seed Flavia Pennetta in the quarter finals.  The Italian has continued her hard court form dropping just six games in reaching the fourth round and then saving six match points to beat seventh seed Vera Zvonareva in the last 16.  Wild card Clijsters next takes on eighteenth seed Na Li in the last eight.

Doubles

There was British disappointment in the doubles as both Ross Hutchins and Sarah Borwell lost their first matches.  Seeded 15th with Australian partner Stephen Huss Hutchins went down 6-2 4-6 4-6 to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Olivier Rochus.

Borwell and American partner Jill Craybas suffered a narrow first round loss on a final set tie-break to the French-Spanish combination of Camille Pin and Carla Suarez-Navarro.

Juniors

In the Girls Singles event British representatives Laura Robson and 11th seed Heather Watson have progressed through to the second round.  Essex’s Stephanie Cornish will be aiming to join them in round 2.

Seed Board

Top 16 Men’s Seeds

Top 16 Women’s Seeds

Movers and Shakers

New ATP and WTA rankings will be published on after the US Open on September 14th.

By reaching the fourth round Federer has assured that he will retain the number one ranking after the US Open.

• 2010 Australian Open Preview
• ATP Players of the Year
• WTA Players of the Year
• Nadal leads Spain to Davis Cup Glory
• Brilliant Davydenko takes ATP World Tour Finals Title
• Djokovic wins in Paris; Davydenko and Verdasco head to London
• Murray back with a bang, Djokovic wins in Basel
• Sensational Serena seals WTA Championship
• Week of upsets sees titles for Baghdatis, Youzhny, Schiavone and Bacsinszky
• Red hot Davydenko beats Nadal for Shanghai Masters Crown
• Asian success for Djokovic, Kuznetsova and Tsonga
• Davydenko and Simon claim titles as race to London heats up
• Dream week in Seoul for veteran Date Krumm
• US Open Review
• Querrey & Dementieva clinch US Open Series
• Fed moves up a gear ahead of US Open
• Magnificent Murray reaches No.2
• Hard court season in full swing as Roddick joins 500 club
• Injury, revenge, first-time winners and British success
• Fed sets new records