What To Watch at the U.S. Open Today
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Day two of the U.S. Open, and still no sign of Roger Federer.
The world no. 1 and two-time defending champion won’t play his first match until tomorrow, but no. 2 seed Rafael Nadal takes on wild card Mark Philippoussis this afternoon inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Serena Williams follows with her first-round contest against Lourdes Dominguez Lino. In the evening session, Maria Sharapova (3) and James Blake (5) play their first matches.
Always wanted to know how to hit a two-handed forehand? You ought to spend some time at Court 8, where Fabrice Santoro, the Harry Houdini of tennis, takes on Fernando Verdasco (22), a hard-hitting Spaniard.
At Louis Armstrong Stadium, Lleyton Hewitt (15), Mary Pierce (13), and Ana Ivanovic (16) make their first appearances. So does Martina Hingis (8), though her match might be moved to Arthur Ashe.
The Grandstand offers an intriguing pairing. Andy Murray (17), the talented Scot and now pupil of Brad Gilbert, takes on American Robert Kendrick, a hard-serving attacker who nearly defeated Nadal in the second round of Wimbledon.
If you’ve had your fill of big-name players by late afternoon, wander over to Court 7 and watch Olivier Rochus (26), the 5-foot-5 Belgian who used to pummel Federer when the two men were juniors. Rochus takes on another Olivier, Olivier Patience of France.
