World number eight Andy Roddick produced a serving masterclass to begin his quest for a second US Open title with a comfortable 6-2 6-2 6-2 straight-sets victory over Fabrice Santoro at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday.

Rafael Nadal continued his magnificent run of form on the ATP circuit with a comprehensive victory in his opening match at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.

Andy Murray’s French Open challenge came to a sudden halt when he ran into one of the rising stars of clay court tennis at Roland Garros.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal moved a step closer to claiming his first title of the season on Monday after recording a 6-1 6-3 victory against American teenager Donald Young at the Pacific Life Open.

Top seed Carlos Moya advanced to his first championship match of the season and the 43rd of his career on Saturday as he defeated unseeded Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, 6-2 3-6 7-6 (7/5) in the Brasil Open semi-finals.

A beefed-up Rafael Nadal muscled his way into the second round of the Australian Open with a gritty straight-sets win on day one.

World number two Rafael Nadal wants to put his inconsistent performance in last year’s Australian Open behind him as he tries to return to the form he showed in Melbourne early in his career.

Top seed Roger Federer eased past Nicolas Kiefer 6-3 6-2 on Friday to secure a semi-final place in the Davidoff Swiss Indoors event.

Only half of the eight seeded players remain in the draw heading into the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open.

VENUS WILLIAMS will bid to avenge sister Serena’s US Open quarter-final defeat to top-seed Justine Henin at Flushing Meadows tonight when she gets her chance against the French Open champion in the last four.

Clay court specialist David Ferrer was struggling to explain his success on hard courts after reaching the semi-final of the US Open with a straight-sets win over Juan Ignacio Chela in New York.

Roger Federer managed only one break against Andy Roddick’s serve but still improved his career record against the fifth-seeded American to 14-1 with a 7-6 (7/4) 7-6 (7/4) 6-2 win in the US Open quarter-finals.

Novak Djokovic battled illness, a back problem and the considerable challenge of Juan Monaco to reach the US Open quarter-finals in New York.

CARLOS MOYA and Juan Igancio Chela ensured the US Open men’s singles quarter-finals would be an all-seeded affair when they rebuffed the challenges of Ernests Gulbis and Stanislas Wawrinka in New York last night.

Spaniards Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer and Carlos Moya all progressed to the round of 16 at the US Open on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic kept alive his hopes of ending Roger Federer’s dominance at the US Open by edging past Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic.

REIGNING champion Rafael Nadal easily got the better of close friend and fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya to stride into the semi-finals of the French Open.

Tim Henman served up another Wimbledon epic on Centre Court on Thursday but this time neither his fighting spirit nor a boisterous home crowd could keep his Championship dream alive.

RAFAEL NADAL had little to quibble about after cruising into the second round of Wimbledon yesterday.

SERENA WILLIAMS signalled her intent to regain the Wimbledon crown as the number seven seed brushed past Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain in straight sets on Court Two yesterday.

Andy Murray will face Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti in the first round at Wimbledon if he recovers from his wrist injury.

Nikolay Davydenko and Novak Djokovic will have to produce career-best performances on Friday if they are to prevent it from being another Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal final at the French Open.

SERENA Williams admitted feeling “violated” after being on the receiving end of a straight-sets hammering by Justine Henin in the quarter-finals of the French Open yesterday.

Nikolay Davydenko sealed the semi-final showdown with Federer by sweeping past Guillermo Canas in straight sets on Suzanne Lenglen court today.

Grand Slam veteran Wayne Ferreira has rubbished Roger Federer’s chances of claiming his first French Open title at Roland Garros this week.

Justine Henin and Serena Williams will renew their rivalry today when they meet in the quarter-finals of the French Open.

RAFAEL NADAL gave yet another clay-court masterclass yesterday as he passed his first genuine test of this year’s French Open with flying colours to ease into the quarter-finals.

Rafael Nadal gave another claycourt masterclass today as he passed his first genuine test of this year’s French Open with flying colours to progress untroubled into the quarter-finals.

Carlos Moya’s quest for a second French Open title continued unabated on Monday as he surged into the quarter-finals thanks to a straight-sets victory over veteran Jonas Bjorkman.

Marcos Baghdatis progressed through to the fourth round of the French Open on Saturday after his opponent Jan Hajek withdrew because of injury midway through their clash on Suzanne Lenglen court.

FRENCH Open dark horse Lleyton Hewitt demonstrated his renowned fighting qualities to recover from two sets down to defeat former champion Gaston Gaudio in a classic match at Roland Garros yesterday.

Rafael Nadal insists he is not feeling the pressure of attempting to win a third straight French Open title.

Lleyton Hewitt was delighted his renowned fighting spirit came to his rescue as he recovered from going two sets down to seal an epic victory over former champion Gaston Gaudio at the French Open.

RAFAEL NADAL was one point away from losing the first set before rallying to take command of his first-round match with American Robert Kendrick to move into the second round of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Fifth seed James Blake made it safely into the second round of the Australian Open after beating Spaniard Carlos Moya 7-6 (10/8) 6-2 6-4 in straight sets.

James Blake used a little inspiration from Andre Agassi to beat Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili in the US Open second round.

Andy Murray believes he is developing the physical fortitude to perform at the top level week in and week out on the ATP Tour.

WORLD number ones Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo overcome dark, distracting conditions at the French Open yesterday in their drive for a claycourt grand slam title.

Third seed and last year's runner-up Lleyton Hewitt will begin his quest for the Australian Open title with a first round match against Czech Robin Vik.

SPANISH prodigy Rafael Nadal gave an indication of his outstanding talent by breezing past French hope Richard Gasquet in straight sets in front of a sold-out Philippe Chatrier Centre court at Roland Garros.

Spanish prodigy Rafael Nadal gave an indication of his outstanding talent by breezing past French hope Richard Gasquet in straight sets in front of a sold-out Philippe Chatrier Centre court at Roland Garros.

THE role of defending French Open champion weighed on Anastasia Myskina, as did her mother’s illness. And so her bid to repeat last year’s success ended in record time.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal powered into the second round of the French Open today as both made impressive opening-day statements of intent.

Roger Federer looked in ominous form as he coasted through to the second round of the French Open on Monday with a straight-sets victory over Israel’s Dudi Sela.