Nadal, Murray, Blake among Day One winners in New York

Five-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal survived his first ATP match as the top ranked player in the world by holding off qualifier Bjorn Phau, 7-6(4), 6-3, 7-6(4) to advance to the second round at the US Open for the sixth straight year. Nadal smashed seven aces while winning 73-percent of his first serves in the nearly three hour long contest on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court. Despite being two points away from losing the first set and only being able to break Phau’s serve on two of 13 opportunities, Nadal stayed fairly steady throughout the match, although he wasn’t extremely pleased with his 71st victory of the season.

“I didn’t play with normal intensity,” Nadal said. “Probably I’m a little bit tired.”

Nadal will now meet American qualifier Ryler de Heart who won a classic five-set thriller over Belgian Olivier Rochus during his grand slam debut.

No. 6 Andy Murray, who claimed the Masters Series Cincinnati title in late July, came out firing en route to an easy, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 victory over Sergio Roitman. Looking to rebound after a horrendous early exit from the Beijing Olympic Games, Murray hit nine aces in the 93 minute match. The 2004 US Open junior champion earned his 36th win of the season, which includes three hard court titles. Murray next faces Frenchman Michael Llodra, who held off Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili in four sets. They last met in 2007 in Metz (France) with the Scotland native winning easily in straight sets.

In the first edition of “Late Night at the Open,” No. 9 seed James Blake outlasted 19-year-old fellow American Donald Young in a match that ended past 12:30 a.m.. Young gave Blake all that he could, but Blake showed his experience and mettle late in the match and pulled out the 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 win. Young won over a lot of fans in the late night match and will be well received next year when he comes back.

Others winners on Day One in New York:
No. 4 David Ferrer (ESP) def. Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 7-6(1), 6-2, 6-2
No. 7 David Nalbandian (ARG) def. Marcos Daniel (BRA) 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
No. 10 Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) def. Simone Bolelli (ITA) 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-3
No. 16 Gilles Simon (FRA) def. Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
No. 17 Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) def. Guillermo Canas (ARG) 4-6, 7-6(0), 6-4, 6-1
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) def. No. 27 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
Kei Nishikori (JPN) def. No. 29 Juan Monaco (ARG) 6-2, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
No. 32 Gael Monfils (FRA) def. Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-4, 6-4, 6-1
Andreas Beck (GER) def. John Isner (USA) 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-6(3)
Ryler de Heart (USA) def. Olivier Rochus (BEL) 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
Wayne Odesnik (USA) def. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2-6, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
Jose Acasuso (ARG) def. Michael Berrer (GER) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2