Federer powers through

Three-time champion Roger Federer proved far too good for Paul Capdeville as he comfortably beat the qualifier in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday night.

The Swiss star was impressive as he won 6-1 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 29 minutes.

“I’m very happy with the way I played,” Federer said afterwards. “It’s always tough playing in the night sessions, especially in the early rounds. But I think I hit the ball well and tried to play aggressive.

“I’m happy with the way I fought against someone who was very competitive. I had to fight for some rhythm but I’m happy with the way it turned out.”

Federer raced to the first set in 23 minutes leaning heavily towards serve and volley tactics to shake up the South American claycourt specialist.

What Capdeville lacked in technique he made up for with heart and the Chilean actually broke Federer’s serve to go 3-1 up in second set, only for the world number one to punish the upstart by winning the next four games in a row on his way to a 2-0 lead.

Capdeville continued to fight but even though Federer relaxed a little as the night wore on, the Chilean could not find a way back in.

Federer now faces American wild card John Isner in the third round. The 22-year-old, 6ft 9ins Isner upset number 26 Jarkko Nieminen in his Grand Slam debut Monday and he beat South African qualifier Rik De Voest in a late-finishing match on Armstrong, winning 6-3 6-3 7-6 (7-4).

Second seed Rafael Nadal overcame an injured knee and some stubborn resistance from Australian wild card Alun Jones as he began his quest for the title with a hard-fought victory.

French Open champion Nadal, from Spain, is bidding to become the sixth man in the history of the Open era to win at Roland Garros and in New York in the same year, but in four years of playing at Flushing Meadows, he has not made it past the quarter-finals.

And there was no easy route out of the first round here as Jones, making his US Open debut at the age of 27, put in dogged display before eventually succumbing to Nadal 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-1.

Nadal looked out of sorts from the first game and twice received treatment on court during his match. He later revealed he has inflammation on the tendon in his left knee and if it had not been the last grand slam of the year he probably would have withdrawn.

“If I am in another tournament I never go to the court today,” Nadal said. “But this is the US Open, so it's a very important tournament for me.

“I hope the knee improves. I can’t move too much and I spoke with my coach before going on court, he said ’just try to move as little as possible and try to win.

“I had an MRI (scan) yesterday and it’s not a big problem but sure, it’s difficult to play like this.”

Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez, the seventh seed, became the first top-10 casualty of the championship when he crashed out in his first round match with Russia’s Teimurz Gabashvili 6-4 6-1, 3-6 5-7 6-4.

But Nadal’s compatriot Tommy Robredo, the eighth seed, beat American Bobby Reynolds in his first round match, coming out a 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 winner.

Mikhail Youzhny got the third day of the 2007 US Open off to a flying start in New York on Wednesday when he dispatched Frenchman Nicolas Devilder in straight sets.

The 11th seed from Russia, who last year reached the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows before losing to Andy Roddick, thrashed US Open debutant Devilder 6-0 6-1 6-2 to set up a second-round meeting with unseeded German Phillipp Kohlschreiber.

Youzhny, who beat Nadal en route to the last four in 2006, is in the same quarter of the draw as this year’s third seed Novak Djokovic, whom he beat on his way to the Rotterdam title in February.