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Capra, 18, reaches third round in first Grand Slam

CBSSpo A year ago at the U.S. Open, American teenager Melanie Oudin told the world to “BELIEVE,” with her sneakers and her play.

Among those she motivated: Beatrice Capra, an 18-year-old from Ellicott City, Md., and a wild-card entry who is following in Oudins footsteps at Flushing Meadows, albeit without any mottos on her shoes.

Beatrice Capra is happy to oblige her fans with autographs after h indeed, playing in the mai the 371st-ranked Capra upset 18th-seeded Aravane Rezai of France 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 Thursday to reach the third round of the U.S. Open.

Capra, who trains at the Evert Academy in Delray Beach, Fla., is the youngest and lowest-ranked player left in the womens field. She knows Oudin from the junior ranks and paid close attention in 2009, when a 17-year-old Oudin knocked off three-time major champion Maria Sharapova en route to the quarterfinals.

“I really look up to Melanie. I watched all of her matches last year, and I was just so happy for her. You know, it was really inspiring to me, because I played her a year before, and then she was getting to the quarters of a Grand Slam,” Capra said. “You know, I think shes pushed all of the Americans to do better.”

Capra beat 95th-ranked Karolina Sprem in the opening r 2006 U.S. Open champion Sharapova.

“When I was younger,” Capra said earnestly, “I used to always look up to her.”

Shes never met 23-year-old Sharapova, but now will be sharing a court with her. The 14th-seeded Sharapova reached the third round by beating 68th-ranked Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-2 on Thursday night.

“If [Capra] wants to know, Ill definitely let her know what I think about it,” said Oudin, who won her doubles match Thursday. “Especially if she plays Sharapova, Id tell her how I thought I beat her last year.”

After losing in the second round of singles Wednesday, Oudin spoke about being a “tiny bit relieved” about the prospect of distancing herself from the expectations and spotlight that accompanied last years surprising run in New York.

More U.S. Open Spander: Wozniacki keeps rolling Federer cruises into third round Notes: Chang feels pain of lopsided loss Brackets: Women | Men Past champs: Women | Men

Now Oudin is keeping tabs on Capra, who goes by the nickname Trice, pronounced “Tree-See.”

“Im really, really happy that shes done well,” said Oudin, who is about 6½ months older. “For me, especially, Im, like, great with the other American girls doing well, because she can take some of the stuff away from me. With her doing well, there can be more of us for people to pay more attention to, instead of, like, just me. The past year, its been mainly on me.”

Indeed, on Thursday, it was Capra whose news conference began with a reporter saying, “Congratulations, and tell us your life story, please.”

It was Capra who was followed out of the main interview room by a pack of media members that essentially ignored the next player due to speak, No. 1-seeded Caroline Wozniacki.

It was Capra who was introduced to TV viewers during an appearance on the ESPN2 set.

It was Capra whose coach wanted to know whether she still plans on competing in the junior girls tournament (the answer: yes, for now).

It was Capra who was asked whether she has anything inscribed on her shoes, the way Oudin did in 2009 and 2010, with “COURAGE” replacing “BELIEVE.”

Twelve months ago, Capra was playing in the junior U.S. Open and hoping one day to play in the main event. Now shes doing just that - and winning. And it almost didnt happen. Two weeks ago, she lost at the girls 18s USTA national championships, which awards a U.S. Open wild card to the winner.

So Capra went home to Maryland, figuring she would “calm down and chill with my family,” and wait till next year to play in a Grand Slam tournaments main draw. But then she got a phone call from the U.S. Tennis Association, inviting her to go to Florida for an eight-player playoff for one wild card - and she won that.

“I was pretty excited,” Capra said Thursday, “but I never would have thought I would be in the third round here.”

Yet there she was, toppling Rezai, who made 49 unforced errors and wasnt exactly heaping praise on Capra afterward.

“The match depends on me, because I did a lot of errors,” Rezai said. “She did nothing very exceptional. Not many winners. A lot of lucky balls on the line.”

Perhaps. But its Capra, not Rezai, who is still competing at the U.S. Open.

Sharapova was asked what she knows about her next opponent.

“Not too much. I know that shes American, and shes 18, I believe,” Sharapova responded, “and shes in the third round of the Open, so that says a lot.”

Federer rolls into third round at U.S. Open

CBSSpo Roger Federer is one cool customer.

The temperature climbed into the 90s yet again Thursday at Flushing Meadows, and the guy showed up for work wearing a warmup jacket. Then he put in his 1 hour, 41 minutes on court, dismissing 104th-ranked Andreas Beck of Germany 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 with the help of 15 aces, to ease into the third round of the U.S. Open.

Roger Federer smashes 15 aces in his straight-sets win over Germanys Andreas Beck. (AP) “Its about just saving your energy for the really big match coming up, maybe the next one,” Federer said, perhaps mindful that he was pushed to five sets in the opening round at Wimbledon in June before eventually losing in the quarterfinals at a second consecutive major tournament.

He dropped all of seven games in the first round of the U.S. Open, and the owner of a record 16 Grand Slam titles is feeling pretty good about things at the moment.

“Its the perfect start, sure. I played Monday; had two days off. I had another easy one physically today, and here I am in the third round feeling like Im completely in the tournament,” said Federer, a five-time U.S. Open champion and the only man left in the field who has won it.

“I got a sense for how the court speed is again. I got the sense of the crowd and the wind now, as well. I played one night, one day,” he continued. “I have all the answers after two matches.”

In other words: Let everyone else sweat it out.

Like Kei Nishikori, the 147th-ranked qualifier from Japan, who fought cramps in his racket-holding right hand and elsewhere while taking a minute shy of five hours to wrap up a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory over 11th-seeded Marin Cilic.

“It was very humid. It wasnt easy to get the oxygen,” said Cilic, a U.S. Open quarterfinalist last year, and an Australian Open semifinalist in January.

The 20-year-old Nishikori began feeling his muscles tighten in the second set but didnt really begin worrying until after trailing 2-1 in sets.

“I was thinking about it in fourth set, mostly: Even if I win this, I have to play one more set. Its not going to be easy for me, you know, cramping,” said Nishikori, who reached the fourth round two years ago, the first Japanese man since 1937 to get that far at the U.S. Open. “But I was able to fight through.”

His was one of a handful of upsets on Day 4 of a tournament that is quickly accumulating surprises. Beatrice Capra, an 18-year-old from Ellicott City, Md., made like 2009 U.S. Open darling Melanie Oudin and ousted No. 18-seeded Aravane Rezai of France 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.

No. 22 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez lost to Patty Schnyder, while winners included 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2008 runner-up Jelena Jankovic and 2010 Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva. Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, like Federer, didnt waste any time on court, blanking 84th-ranked Chang Kai-chen 6-0, 6-0.

At 371st, Capra is the and not only is she making her Grand Slam debut, shes playing in the main draw of a tour-level event for the first time. She said she “watched every second” as Oudin, then 17, reached the quarterfinals 12 months ago.

“I really look up to Melanie,” said Capra, who earned a wild card from the U.S. Tennis Association by winning an eight-entrant playoff. “You know, it was really inspiring to me.”

One of the women Oudin knocked off in 2009, three-time major champion Maria Sharapova, could await Capra in the third round. Sharapova was scheduled to play her second-round match Thursday night, before 2008 Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic took his turn under the lights.

Among those winning in the afternoon were Richard Gasquet, a former top-10 player who eliminated No. 6-seeded Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; and Robin Soderling, a two-time French Open runner-up who beat American Taylor Dent 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.

The No. 5-seeded Soderlings next opponent will be 48th-ranked Thiemo De Bakker, who advanced Thursday when Ivan Dodig quit in the fourth set because of cramping.

Soderling-Dent was in the third set during whose loss to Soderling in the French Open quarterfinals this year ended a record streak o kept glancing at the flat-screen TV on the wall to his right, surely aware that he could meet the Swede again in that round next week.

Federer has won 42 of his past 43 matches at Flushing Meadows, the only loss coming in last years final to Juan Martin Del Potro, who didnt defend his title after wrist surgery. With Andy Roddicks exit in the second round Wednesday night, and Lleyton Hewitts departure in the first, Federer is the only previous winner of the U.S. Open left in the mens field.

“Its definitely an advantage, I would think, because [of] the conditions here,” Federer said. “You could be unlucky and get hit with a really hot day or a very windy day, and not even in your control, sometimes, you lose a match here. Thats where its important, like today, to get through easily, instead of maybe going [through a] five-hour match.”

Tell that to Nishikori.

Azarenka collapses at Open, carried off court

CBSSpo The scene was simply scary: Victoria Azarenka, a 21-year-old on the rise in the WTA rankings, paused about a half-hour into her second-round match Wednesday at the U.S. Open, then staggered, stumbled and collapsed to the court.

Azarenka, seeded 10th in the Grand Slam tournament, rolled over to rest her head on her arm, and a trainer rushed over. Someone covered Azarenkas legs with a white towel. She eventually was helped into a wheelchair, her yellow visor askew atop her head, then taken to a hospital, where tests showed she had a mild concussion.

More U.S. Open Notes: Venus only playing singles Brackets: Women | Men Past champs: Women | Men

As a record-breaking summer suffocates New York, the temperature in Flushing Meadows headed into the 90s for a third consecutive day, and the mercury topped 100 degrees on court. But tournament referee Brian Early said Azarenkas problem did “not seem to be primarily a heat-related illness.”

Indeed, Azarenka herself later revealed she fell in the gym while warming up before the match, banging her head and arm in the gym.

“I was checked by the medical team before I went on court and they were courtside for monitoring. I felt worse as the match went on, having a headache and feeling dizzy,” said Azarenka, who is from Belarus but lives part of the year in Scottsdale, Ariz., with the family of NHL goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, someone she considers a mentor.

Azarenka began wobbling early in her match against Gisela Dulko of Argentina, taking extra time between points and wincing occasionally, clearly in distress. Azarenka said she “started having trouble seeing and felt weak.”

She is an up-and-comer on tour, part of a group of young players seen as potential future Grand Slam champions. Azarenka beat Maria Sharapova in the final of a hard-court tournament in California last month and pushed Serena Williams to three sets before losing in the Australian Open quarterfinals in January.

Against Williams in the fourth round of the 2009 Australian Open, Azarenka stopped in the second set, dizzy and in tears, and blamed a virus.

Her frightening exit Wednesday caught everyones attention. Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki wrote on Twitter: “Did anyone watch Vikas match?? I really hope she is ok!”

The match was halted with Azarenka trailing Dulko 5-1.

“It was terrible. Its not nice to see someone feeling bad, not nice to win a match this way. I hope she feels OK now,” said Dulko, who walked around the net to check on the prone Azarenka. “I was worried for her.”

It was by far the most stunning developing on Day 3 of a tournament that produced some surprising results on the scoreboard, including 18-year-old American qualifier Ryan Harrisons 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 victory over 15th-seeded Ivan Ljubicic, and unseeded Michael Llodras 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-4 upset of Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych.

Victoria Azarenka is taken off court in a wheelchair. (Getty Images) Winners included No. 4-seeded Andy Murray, the 2008 runner-up, who said he wore a hat during a match for the first time in four or five years because of the heat; No. 12 Mikhail Youzhny; No. 14 Nicolas Almagro; and No. 20 Sam Querrey, who beat NCAA singles champion Bradley Klahn of Stanford 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in an all-American matchup.

At night, defending champion Kim Clijsters reached the third round by beating 201st-ranked qualifier Sally Peers of Australia 6-2, 6-1.

Other players taking the court in the evening included John Isner, who won the all-sorts-of-records-smashing Wimbledon marathon match that ended 70-68 in the fifth set, and 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick.

Harrison, who is based in Bradenton, Fla., is the first U.S. male teen to beat a top-20 opponent at any Grand Slam tournament since a 19-year-old Roddick knocked off No. 11 Alex Corretja at the 2001 U.S. Open.

You dont have to go nearly as far back to find a female teen from the United States who pulled off that sort of upset, of course: Melanie Oudin of Marietta, Ga., was 17 a year ago when she reached the U.S. Open quarterfinals by beating two top-20 players.

Oudins 2010 stay in New York was shorter: She lost in the second round Wednesday to No. 29 Alona Bondarenko 6-2, 7-5.

“Definitely disappointing,” Oudin said. “I still have, hopefully, like, 10 more years in my career, hopefully 10 more U.S. Opens ahead of me. So Ill definitely be looking forward again to next year.”

Among the seeded women bowing out was No. 21 Zheng Jie, overwhelmed 6-3, 6-0 by 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic, who used to be ranked No. 1 but has tumbled to No. 40.

No. 13 Marion Bartoli, No. 28 Alisa Kleybanova and No. 32 Tsvetana Pironkova also lost. Pironkova was ranked only 82nd in June, when she shocked Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, and they could have met in the third round in New York. But Pironkova bowed out in straight sets against qualifier Mandy Minella of Luxembourg, who gets to face Williams instead.

Williams, who counts the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Opens among her seven Grand Slam titles, struggled for a bit against 193rd-ranked qualifier Rebecca Marino of Canada before pulling out a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win.

Marino actually led 3-1 in the tiebreaker, before Williams took the next six straight points to steal the opening set.

“She started returning better, serving bombs. I think she definitely upped her level,” Marino said. “I did notice at one point that she started to grunt pretty loudly. And its like, Whoa, shes getting serious here.”

Agassi leads nominees for Tennis Hall of Fame

CBSSports.c Andre Agassi leads the list of 2011 nominees for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Owner of a career Grand Slam and an eight-time major champion, Agassi is the only nominee in the recent player category. He retired in 2006.

Also on the ballot, announced by the Hall on Wednesday: Thelma Coyne Long and Christine Truman Janes in the master player category, and Mike Davies and Fern Lee “Peachy” Kellmeyer in the contributor category.

The inductees will be announced early next year.

Australias Long won 19 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles during a career from 1935-58. Britains Janes won the 1959 French championships singles title.

Jankovic, Kuznetsova rally, survive at U.S. Open

CBSSpor Down a set in the first round of the U.S. Open, Maria Sharapova sat in her changeover chair, briefly closed her eyes, and took some deep breaths.

“I knew,” she would say later, “that it wasnt over.”

Whatever problems she encountered Tuesday, whatever the level of her game, all that mattered to Sharapova was the outcome. Overcoming a deficit and a big-hitting opponent to avoid a significant upset, the 2006 U.S. Open champion put together a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over 60th-ranked Jarmila Groth of Australia.

More U.S. Open Brackets: Women | Men Past champs Women | Men

“At the end of the day, even though I know I wasnt playing my best tennis, I know I came out with a win. And sometimes its more important than anything, because youre giving yourself a chance to go out on the practice court tomorrow,” the 14th-seeded Sharapova said. “Youre giving yourself a chance to play another match and to get better, you know, maybe work on the things that today werent working that well for you.”

Groth hit 14 double-faults, including on the final point of the second set. She was by far the more aggressive of the two, taking risks that sometimes paid off and sometimes did not. She hit 24 winners to 19 for Sharapova, and made 48 unforced errors to 17 for Sharapova.

“She came out firing; didnt give me many opportunities,” Sharapova said. “You just want to hang in there, get through it.”

Novak Djokovic barely gets past countryman Viktor Troicki. (Getty Images) There was a lot of hanging in there on a steamy Day 2 at the U.S. Open, when the temperature rose into the mid-90s. More than a dozen womens matches went three sets, and a half-dozen mens matches lasted the full five sets, including 2007 runner-up Novak Djokovics 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over his friend and Serbian Davis Cup teammate Viktor Troicki.

They played for more than 3½ hours, and the on-court temperature approached 110 degrees. Djokovic was down a break in the fourth set while already down, before righting himself.

“You kind of start panicking a little bit when you dont feel great physically,” the third-seeded Djokovic said, “and your opponent takes advantage.”

Mardy Fish, an American seeded 19th, also won in five sets, but fan favorite James Blake needed only three to reach the second round.

Sharapova never has lost earlier than the second round in seven U.S. Opens. But she also hasnt made it past the third round since taking the championship. She lost at that stage in 2007 and 2009, and missed the tournament in 2008 shortly before having right shoulder surgery.

Sharapova made adjustments to her service motion after that operation, then missed nearly two months this season with a right elbow injury. But she has seemed lately to be on her way back to being a contender at the biggest tournaments, reaching the finals at two hard-court tournaments this summer.

She only double-faulted twice Tuesday, and it was Groth who donated points with shaky serving, including on the last point of the second set.

“Maybe if I would have served differently,” Groth said, “everything would be easier.”

At the start, though, it was Sharapova who hardly was at her best. When Groth pounded a return winner off a second serve, she broke Sharapova to take the opening set.

During the changeover, Sharapova sat in her sideline chair and took deep breaths, briefly shutting her eyes. Back on the court, her play improved.

“Its still Sharapova, so its not like shes going to go, There you go,” Groth said.

Sharapova-Groth was the days third match in Arthur Ashe Stadium that went the full number of sets, making for a night session that started about 1½ hours later than the 7 p.m. schedule. The tournaments two No. 1-seeded players, Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki, were to play at night.

Earlier, No. 4-seeded Jelena Jankovic, like Sharapova, needed to turn things around after losing the first set. Jankovic, the runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Open, managed to get past 18-year-old Simona Halep of Romania 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. Jankovic was two points from defeat at 5-4 in the third set before taking the last three games to close out the match.

“The conditions were tough,” Jankovic said. “But I didnt want to think about that. I just wanted to focus as much as I could on the match and play each point one point at a time.”

Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion, needed three sets, too, before eliminating 39-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm.

Wozniacki, last years runner-up in New York, and Jankovic both have a chance to overtake Serena Williams at No. 1 in the rankings by winning the title. Next for Jankovic comes a matchup against Mirjana Lucic, who beat Alicia Molik 7-6 (5), 6-1 to win a U.S. Open match for the first time in 11 years.

The first seeded woman to exit was No. 8 Li Na, who lost to Kateryna Bondarenko 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, and she soon was followed by No. 26 Lucie Safarova and No. 30 Yaroslava Shvedova. Winners included Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva, No. 9 Agnieszka Radwanska and 2009 semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer.

In mens action, No. 16 Marcos Baghdatis, No. 24 Ernests Gulbis, No. 28 Radek Stepanek, and No. 30 Juan Monaco were eliminated.

McEnroe says women should play less

CBSSpor John McEnroe knows his feelings about womens tennis wont make him any friends. He also doesnt care.

The sports most outspoken figure said women arent cut out to play as many tournaments as theyre asked to by their tour.

“There should be less events for women,” McEnroe said in a conference call this week to preview CBS coverage of the U.S. Open, which starts Monday. “You need an actual meltdown on court or someone to quit the game altogether before they realize you need to change the schedule.”

The same day that McEnroe was voicing his opinion, the Womens Tennis Association released an update on initiatives its taking to make the season less of a grind. By shortening and streamlining the season, the WTA said withdrawals were down 35 percent and participation by top players was up 57 percent in the tours top nine events over the first eight months of 2010 compared to 2008.

Another CBS analyst and former pro, Mary Carillo, was on the call with McEnroe, and while she agreed that the quality of womens tennis could use an upgrade, she doesnt think women are incapable of grinding through as long a season as the men.

“I hate the idea that we have to judge women on a curve and say, Its too much for them,” Carillo said. “Ive seen too many great women champions for too long.”

The U.S. Open was the first Grand Slam tourn a policy that has been criticized by some because the women play best-of-3-set matches, while the men play best-of-5.

Theres also a debate about whether men and women should play at the same sites more often, and whether the schedule unfairly forces players to enter too many events to secure their rankings.

“I think thats a little bit of a misconception thats out there,” said Kim Clijsters, who left the tour for about 2½ years to start a family, then won the 2009 U.S. Open in her return to Grand Slam tennis. “We can choose our schedule. We choose how many tournaments we want to play in, and I think its a players discipline and professionalism to know when to play.”

McEnroe said women have it better in tennis than any other sport.

“But you shouldnt push them to playing more than theyre capable of playing,” he said. “Unless you want to make it best-of-5. Make it best-of-5 for majors for the women.”

Federers video

Roger Federer is not giving much away about how real that video is of him knoc twice in a row.

The clip has drawn more than 5 million views on YouTube. Type in “Federer trick shot” to check it out.

“I couldnt believe the amount of hits I got,” Federer said Saturday. “Im happy, then, that so many people have seen it, liked it, and debated about it. I was shocked.”

He said it took “one or two takes … five, 10 minutes, and that was it. It was at one of the shoots I did after Wimbledon in Zurich, and we had a fun time doing it.”

Andy Murray, twice a runner-up to Federer in Grand Slam finals, was asked about the clips authenticity.

“You think it was real? Is that right?” Murray replied, smiling.

Then Murray noted that he liked the video, before adding: “Theres not a chance its real, though.”

Defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters also was asked Saturday whether she thinks its legit.

“Let me just say that I would not hold that thing on my head even if it was Roger Federer,” Clijsters said. “Theres your answer.”

Happy birthday

Andy Roddick turns 28 on Monday, which happens to be Day 1 of the U.S. Open.

He won the hard-court Grand Slam tournament in 2003, but hasnt added a second major title, losing in four finals.

Asked Saturday about his sense of urgency when it comes to claiming another Grand Slam trophy as he gets older, the ninth-seeded Roddick said: “Well, its always there. Birthday or no birthday, you come in to try to win one. To be honest, I dont think too much about age, number, whatever.

“Ill play till I can, until I feel like I shouldnt anymore,” Roddick continued. “But, you know, the urgency is always there.”

Clijsters begins title defense with shaky first-round win

CBSSpor Defending champion Kim Clijsters briefly lost her step on a windy day before recovering in time to win her 15th straight match at the U.S. Open.

The second-seeded Belgian beat Hungarys Greta Arn 6-0, 7-5 in the first round Monday. She fell behind 4-0 in the second set, and the 104th-ranked Arn had a chance to serve out the set at 5-4. But Clijsters got the break, then did it again to clinch the straight-set victory.

More U.S. Open Notes Clijsters on Serenas injury Brackets: Women | Men Past champs Women | Men

Clijsters said she wasnt aggressive enough playing with the wind at her back early in the second set, waiting for the ball instead of moving up for it.

“She kind of put me under pressure a little bit where it should have been the other way around,” she said.

A year ago, Clijsters was a wild-card entry in only her third tournament back after 2½ years away from the sport. Now shes one of the favorites to win the Open.

Melanie Oudin and Francesca Schiavone also know how quickly perceptions can change. Oudin has struggled with higher expectations since her crowd-pleasing run to the U.S. Open quarterfinals last year. So has Schiavone after her breakthrough French Open title in June.

But neither showed any signs of the pressure in cruising to dominant first-round wins.

Oudin, the 18-year-old from Marietta, Ga., needed just 56 minutes to beat Olga Savchuk of Ukraine 6-3, 6-0. Schiavone, the Italian who won her first Grand Slam weeks before her 30th birthday, dispatched Ayumi Morita of Japan 6-1, 6-0 in 58 minutes.

If anything, Schiavone seems to be having fun in the spotlight. Asked why shes a fan favorite, she playfully replied, “I attract them because Im beautiful.”

Andy Roddick, one of four former champs to play Arthur Ashe Stadium on Day 1, advances 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. (Getty Images) Schiavone acknowledged that maybe shes a bit more motivated at a Grand Slam than at other tournaments. Schiavone, seeded No. 6, had been just 3-6 since winning at Roland Garros. She lost in the first round at Wimbledon and dropped her opening match at three other tournaments.

She was pleased a year ago, she was relegated to an outer court.

“I like to do it, because adrenaline is coming up and I enjoy much more than play in faraway court,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe because I am 30 years old and now I want to enjoy with people.”

Playing for the first time in two months, Venus Williams beat Roberta Vinci of Italy 6-4, 6-1 Monday night to reach the U.S. Opens second round.

The No. 3-seeded Williams hit 10 aces, reaching 126 mph, and earned her 200th career victory in a Grand Slam match. Two of her seven major titles came at the U.S. Open, in 2000 and 2001.

She hadnt competed since being upset in the Wimbledon quarterfinals June 29. After taking time off to rest, Williams sprained her left knee cap shortly before she was supposed to play in a hard-court tuneup tournament this month.

Williams winced after landing awkwardly on her left leg early in the second set against Vinci.

Five-time winner Roger Federer was one of four past U.S. Open champions scheduled to play in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday, along with Andy Roddick, Venus Williams and Clijsters. Another previous winner, Lleyton Hewitt, was slated to be in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The ninth-seeded Roddick celebrated his 28th birthday by beating Stephane Robert of France 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Two-time French Open runner-up Robin Soderling was pushed to five sets by a qualifier ranked 214th in the world. The No. 5-seeded Swede beat Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 5-7, 6-4.

No. 24 seed Daniela Hantuchova beat former world No. 1 Dinara Safina 6-3, 6-4. The unseeded Safina missed almost three months this year with a back injury and has slipped to 50th in the world rankings. She was the top seed at last years U.S. Open, but lost in the third round.

Russias Elena Dementieva, the No. 12 seed, beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-1, 6-2. Sixteenth-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel defeated Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia 6-4, 7-5.

Fellow Russian Nikolay Davydenko, the No. 6 seed on the mens side, beat American Michael Russell 6-4, 6-1, 6-3. No. 11 Marin Cilic and No. 22 Juan Carlos Ferrero also advanced. No. 27 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile retired against Ivan Dodig of Croatia.

Wozniacki, Stakhovsky win titles in New Haven

CBSSports.com wire re U.S. Open top seed Caroline Wozniacki won her third consecutive Pilot Pen tennis title Saturday, beating Russian Nadia Petrova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

The victory capped a good week for the 20-year-old Danish star, who won in Montreal on Monday.

In the mens draw, Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky won his second tournament of the year, beating Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Stakhovsky is unbeaten in four career ATP finals, including a win in Hertogenbosch this year.

Wozniacki heads to New York with four wins this season, the most of any woman on tour.

“I feel great,” Wozniacki said. “I have a Tuesday start. So, you know, Im on a roll.”

She took the early lead, getting the only break of the first set in the sixth game. She broke Petrova again to open the second set and seemed to be in control.

But holding serve was a problem for both players in the second set, and the Russian found her return game. She broke Wozniacki three times, and was able to hold up 5-3 to win the set.

Wozniacki said part of the problem was the sun.

“It was really difficult to see the ball when you were throwing it up from one side,” she said. “That made it a little bit more difficult.”

Wozniacki went up 2-0 in the third, after Petrova appeared to pull something in her back and called for a trainer. She double faulted to go down 3-1, but fought back to 4-3. Wozniacki broke her again and served out the match.

“I was thinking, `OK, I have a great serve, Im standing on the right side, I almost have new balls. So this one should be mine now,” Wozniacki said.

Petrova, who received a last-minute wild-card entry into the tournament, was playing her first final since 2008. She served 12 aces Saturday and said she likes where her game is heading into New York.

“If my back would have been OK in the beginning of the third set, maybe the set would have been closer and Id have maybe a chance to really challenge her, maybe win the title,” Petrova said. “Unfortunately, it didnt happen.”

Stakhovsky found himself down early in the mens final, when Istomin broke him in the second game of the first set.

But that would be one of just three breaks in the match, and Stakhovsky got the other two, the final one coming in the fifth game of the final set.

“Hes serving very well,” Stakhovsky said. “Its not his first serve. His second serve, hes placing it very well. Hes moving the ball around. Its not easy to guess. Ive done a lot of mistakes from his second serve because he was placing the ball differently.”

But Istomin was just as baffled with Stakhovskys serve and had just three break points the entire match.

“Hes serving good, serve and volley,” he said. “[It was] tough because I was like returning and he finishes the point. I mean, hes playing well today.”

Stakhovsky became the first Ukrainian to win two tournaments in the same season since Andrei Medvedev in 1994.

“Im really glad to win this title,” he said. “It pushed me to another level again.”

Wozniacki is 13-0 in New Haven and has now won the tournament more than any player except Venus Williams, who took four consecutive titles between 1999 and 2002. A crowd favorite, she said she hopes to defend the title next year.

“I love this tournament,” Wozniacki said. “Its been great preparation for me the last couple of years, so I would love to come back.”

Tournament organizers hope she can. They have until the end of September to let the United States Tennis Association know if they have the funding to replace Pilot Pen, which is ending its run as the tournaments title sponsor.

McEnroe says women should play less

CBSSpor John McEnroe knows his feelings about womens tennis wont make him any friends. He also doesnt care.

The sports most outspoken figure said women arent cut out to play as many tournaments as theyre asked to by their tour.

“There should be less events for women,” McEnroe said in a conference call this week to preview CBS coverage of the U.S. Open, which starts Monday. “You need an actual meltdown on court or someone to quit the game altogether before they realize you need to change the schedule.”

The same day that McEnroe was voicing his opinion, the Womens Tennis Association released an update on initiatives its taking to make the season less of a grind. By shortening and streamlining the season, the WTA said withdrawals were down 35 percent and participation by top players was up 57 percent in the tours top nine events over the first eight months of 2010 compared to 2008.

Another CBS analyst and former pro, Mary Carillo, was on the call with McEnroe, and while she agreed that the quality of womens tennis could use an upgrade, she doesnt think women are incapable of grinding through as long a season as the men.

“I hate the idea that we have to judge women on a curve and say, Its too much for them,” Carillo said. “Ive seen too many great women champions for too long.”

The U.S. Open was the first Grand Slam tourn a policy that has been criticized by some because the women play best-of-3-set matches, while the men play best-of-5.

Theres also a debate about whether men and women should play at the same sites more often, and whether the schedule unfairly forces players to enter too many events to secure their rankings.

“I think thats a little bit of a misconception thats out there,” said Kim Clijsters, who left the tour for about 2½ years to start a family, then won the 2009 U.S. Open in her return to Grand Slam tennis. “We can choose our schedule. We choose how many tournaments we want to play in, and I think its a players discipline and professionalism to know when to play.”

McEnroe said women have it better in tennis than any other sport.

“But you shouldnt push them to playing more than theyre capable of playing,” he said. “Unless you want to make it best-of-5. Make it best-of-5 for majors for the women.”

Federers video

Roger Federer is not giving much away about how real that video is of him knoc twice in a row.

The clip has drawn more than 5 million views on YouTube. Type in “Federer trick shot” to check it out.

“I couldnt believe the amount of hits I got,” Federer said Saturday. “Im happy, then, that so many people have seen it, liked it, and debated about it. I was shocked.”

He said it took “one or two takes … five, 10 minutes, and that was it. It was at one of the shoots I did after Wimbledon in Zurich, and we had a fun time doing it.”

Andy Murray, twice a runner-up to Federer in Grand Slam finals, was asked about the clips authenticity.

“You think it was real? Is that right?” Murray replied, smiling.

Then Murray noted that he liked the video, before adding: “Theres not a chance its real, though.”

Defending U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters also was asked Saturday whether she thinks its legit.

“Let me just say that I would not hold that thing on my head even if it was Roger Federer,” Clijsters said. “Theres your answer.”

Happy birthday

Andy Roddick turns 28 on Monday, which happens to be Day 1 of the U.S. Open.

He won the hard-court Grand Slam tournament in 2003, but hasnt added a second major title, losing in four finals.

Asked Saturday about his sense of urgency when it comes to claiming another Grand Slam trophy as he gets older, the ninth-seeded Roddick said: “Well, its always there. Birthday or no birthday, you come in to try to win one. To be honest, I dont think too much about age, number, whatever.

“Ill play till I can, until I feel like I shouldnt anymore,” Roddick continued. “But, you know, the urgency is always there.”

U.S. Open draw: Wozniacki’s quarter loaded

CBSSpor If Roger Federer is going to reach a seventh consecutive U.S. Open title match, he might need to get past the man who ended his Grand Slam semifinal streak.

Five-time U.S. Open champion Federer was given a possible quarterfinal against two-time French Open runner-up Robin Soderling in Thursdays draw. The No. 5-seeded Soderling upset Federer in the quarterfinals in Paris this year, stopping Federers record run of reaching at least the semifinals at 23 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments.

More U.S. Open Brackets: Women | Men Past champs Women | Men

“Im motivated to do well because I love New York, I love playing in Arthur Ashe (Stadium),” Federer said. “If I couldnt get motivated by this stadium and this city, then Id have some issues.”

The other mens matchups in the quarterfinals could be No. 1-seeded Rafael Nadal against No. 8 Fernando Verdasco, two-time major finalist Andy Murray against Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych, and No. 3 Novak Djokovic against No. 6 Nikolay Davydenko or No. 9 Andy Roddick.

The top-seeded woman, 2009 runner-up Caroline Wozniacki, could face 2006 champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round and 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals.

Other possible womens quarterfinals set up Thursday are defending champion Kim Clijsters against French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur, 2000-01 U.S. Open winner Venus Williams against French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, and 2008 U.S. Open finalist Jelena Jankovic against Wimbledon runner-up Vera Zvonareva.

“I know if I play well that I can beat anybody out there,” said Clijsters, who also won the 2005 Open, “so thats what Im going to try to achieve.”

Murray, hoping to become the first British man since 1936 to win a Grand Slam title, could meet No. 20-seeded Sam Querrey of the United States in the fourth round. Another American, Wimbledon marathon man John Isner, is seeded 18th and also is in that quarter of the draw.

In the semifinals, Murray was drawn to meet Nadal, who lost in that round in New York each of the past two years and is trying to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the U.S. Open for the first time.

Federer was drawn to meet Djokovic or Roddick in the semifinals. Federer beat Djokovic in the 2007 U.S. Open final and the 2008 and 2009 semifinals.

“Over the la and that gives me enough reason to believe I can go far this year,” Djokovic said, “because I like the courts, I lik its suitable to my game, and to my personality.”

Federer could face another familiar opponent in the third round: 2001 U.S. Open and 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt. Federer beat Hewitt in the 2004 U.S. Open final, part of a which ended when Hewitt beat him in the final of a grass-court tournament at Halle, Germany, in June.

“I know my way around New York so well. The center court is so familiar,” Federer said. “The fans have always been so great. Theyve always been behind me, and thats always so key, and I hope its going to be, again, the same this year.”

He lost in the 2 previously withdrew from this years tournament, having not recovered fully from surgery. Del Potros wrist was hurt; Williams cut her foot shortly after winning Wimbledon, although she hasnt explained exactly what happened.

“It would be great to have Serena compete,” Clijsters said, “but thats sports, and thats life.”

Williams older sister Venus, who is seeded No. 3, could face an intriguing matchup in the third round against No. 32-seeded Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria. Pironkova has won two of her previous three matches against Venus Williams, including a straight-set upset in the Wimbledon quarterfinals June 29.

That was the last match Williams played on tour; she sprained her left kneecap in early August, forcing her to withdraw from hard-court tournaments at Cincinnati and Montreal.

The U.S. Open begins Monday, and Williams will have gone more than two months without a match by the time she meets her first-round opponent, Roberta Vinci of Italy, who is 1-7 for her career at Flushing Meadows.