SHARAPOVA STARTS STRONG

Top seed Maria Sharapova easily downed Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou, 6-1, 6-1 in the first evening match of the 2005 U.S. Open. Daniilidou recently sustained an ankle injury and looked hesitant throughout, especially on her serve. Three other seeded players in Sharapova’s quarter of the draw lost yesterday, opening the Russian’s path to the semifinals. She may meet a rising star in the fourth round, however: India’s Sania Mirza. Mirza, 18, defeated Mashona Washington 7-6 (6), 6-7 (6), 6-4. She has improved her ranking more than 150 places since the end of last year.

AGASSI THROUGH FIRST ROUND

Andre Agassi’s 20th U.S. Open had a familiar beginning, a straight-set victory, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 over Romania’s Razvan Sabau. Agassi now has 15 straight-set wins in his 20 first-round matches. Of the other five, he won one in four sets and lost the other four.

NADAL CRUISES

Rafael Nadal opened his magic act on Arthur Ashe yesterday, defeating 23-year-old Bobby Reynolds 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. No matter where Reynolds hit the ball, the 19-year-old Nadal was there, waiting to hit one of his ferocious passing shots. The no. 2 seed made just 15 errors and hit 30 winners. He next faces 19-year-old Scoville Jenkins, last year’s junior 18-and-under champion, who won his first Grand Slam match against George Bastl, 7-6 (4), 6-0, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (5).

OLD BEATS YOUNG

People mobbed Court 11 to watch Donald Young, the 16-year-old junior phenom, lose his first U.S. Open match to a man nearly twice his age. Giorgio Galimberti, an Italian who turns 30 next week, nearly lost the first set to Young, but took control of the match with exceptional play at the net. The 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2 victory left Young winless in seven matches on the ATP tour.

MOLIK STILL ON THE MEND

A season that started with great promise continues to go south for Australia’s Alicia Molik, who lost yesterday to American qualifier Shenay Perry 6-4, 6-4. Molik reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open but has since missed weeks at a time with injuries. Perry won her first singles match in Flushing.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

World no. 1 Roger Federer opens the U.S. Open day session today, but the best match of the afternoon belongs to James Blake and Greg Rusedski. Blake, who won his second career title at the Pilot Pen in New Haven last weekend, follows Federer on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

In the evening, Lindsay Davenport and Andy Roddick play their first matches.

Want entertainment? Look no further than the ever-exciting Justin Gimelstob, who takes Louis Armstrong at 6:00 p.m. against Max Mirnyi (even if the weather does not interfere, this match may not end until Wednesday afternoon).

Other matches of interest include 2003 champ Justine Henin-Hardenne, who plays the last day match on Ashe, and 15-year-old Alexa Glatch, who opens play on Court 18. On Court 10, talented French teenager Gael Monfils plays his first match.