Federer advances at US Open

12:13am Thursday 28th August 2008

Four-time defending champion Roger Federer began his bid for a first Grand Slam win of the season with a comfortable first round victory over Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center on Tuesday.

Federer has not won a Grand Slam this year, having lost in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon to Rafael Nadal, who subsequently ended the Swiss' four-and-a-half-year reign at the top of the world rankings.

But Federer, who last year won his 12th Grand Slam title with victory at Flushing Meadows to move within two of Pete Sampras' record, was at home on the Arthur Ashe Stadium hardcourt, defeating world number 118 Gonzalez 6-3 6-0 6-3 in one hour 21 minutes.

Federer, who won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments in both 2006 and 2007, is in danger of coming away with none this year for the first time since 2002.

He took his first step toward turning that around by easily dispatching the 25-year-old Gonzalez, who is ranked 118th in the world, in the first meeting between the pair.

While Federer moved on, Richard Gasquet's stay here was a short one.

The 12th-seeded Frenchman endured a 6-7 (3/7) 6-4 5-7 7-5 6-2 first-round upset at the hands of Tommy Haas.

The 11th seed from Spain, Fernando Gonzalez got past countryman Ivan Navarro 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7/5).

In a match which featured some high intensity, Marat Safin outlasted American Vincent Spadea 3-6 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-4.

Fernando Verdasco coasted in the second round with a 6-3 6-4 6-1 triumph over Igor Kunitsyn, while Ivo Karlovic of Croatia booked a spot in the second round with a 7-5 6-1 6-4 triumph over Jan Minar.

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