ROGER FEDERER booked his place in the third round of the US Open last night after easing to a straight-sets victory over Brazilian qualifier Thiago Alves.

FOR ALL Kim Clijsters cared, they could have ripped the cheques up right in front of her.

World number one Gustavo Kuerten became tennis’s great escapologist early this morning to scrape through an extraordinary US Open third round match with Max Mirnyi.