Former champ Hewitt cruises into second round of US open
The sixth-seeded Australian had struggled in his final two warm-up events but bounced back in impressive fashion against Hanescu, who was making his US Open debut.
Fifth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina raced into the second round with a 6-4 6-3 6-1 triumph over fellow countryman Mariano Puerta.
Mardy Fish got off to a solid start with a 6-3 6-2 6-4 opening round win over 6ft 6in qualifier Joachim Johansson of Sweden.
Meanwhile, French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero was forced to battle before defeating towering qualifier Jan Vacek of the Czech Republic 6-2 4-6 6-3, 6-2.
Two seeds fell as Paraguay’s Ramon Delgado outlasted ninth seed Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, and Spain’s Fernando Verdasco eliminated his fellow countryman and 17th seed Tommy Robredo 6-3 6-4 6-2.
Former finalist Greg Rusedski crashed out in the first round to unseeded Frenchman Gregory Carraz. The British number two struggled to get going and lost 6-4 4-6 6-2 5-7 6-4.
Top seed Kim Clijsters overcame a shaky start before easing into the second round with a 6-2 6-3 victory over American wild card Amber Liu.
Lindsay Davenport, who is suffering with a painful foot injury, crushed Belgium’s Els Callens 6-1 6-0 in the first round.
Joining Davenport in the second round was fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France, ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, and 13th Vera Zvonareva of Russia.
But eighth-seeded American Chanda Rubin crashed out 6-4 6-4, to Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela.
Mauresmo dispatched Indonesia’s Angelique Widjaja 6-0 6-2, Hantuchova beat former junior US Open champion Marion Bartoli of France 6-3 6-2 and Zvonareva cruised past Lubomira Kurhajcova of Slovakia 6-3 6-2.
Also, 14th seed Amanda Coetzer of South Africa trounced American qualifier Gabriela Lastra 6-0 6-2 and 19th seed Nadia Petrova of Russia beat CatalinaCastano of Colombia 6-4 6-0.
lAn emotional Pete Sampras bowed out of professional tennis with two of his greatest rivals hailing him as the best of his generation.
Sampras confirmed his retirement at a ceremony in the Arthur Ashe Stadium yesterday.
The American former world number one called time on an illustrious career after winning a record 14 Grand Slams.
He has not played competitively since he defeated old rival Andre Agassi in four sets to win last year’s US Open.
Agassi was among the tennis legends lined up to pay tribute to Sampras.
He said: “I’ve been privileged to be challenged by him and to share a rivalry with him. I’ve never played anyone better.”
German great Boris Becker, who won Wimbledon three times before Sampras began his all-conquering run at the All-England Club, said: “Before you were around, I used to own that place.”
John McEnroe, who clashed with Sampras during his career and rarely had a kind word to say about him at the time, said: “You are the greatest player I’ve ever played.”
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