Soderling struggles and Hewitt exits US Open
Day one at the US Open saw its fair share of five-set matches, with perhaps the two biggest surprises being fifth seed Robin Soderling’s near four-hour tussle against Andreas Haider-Maurer and former champion Lleyton Hewitt’s loss in a tricky opener against France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu.
When the draw placed Soderling’s name next to a qualifier when it was announced last Thursday, and that qualifier turned out to be US Open debutant and world No. 215 Haider-Maurer, few would have anticipated such a closely fought match.
But that’s just what was delivered as the Austrian clawed back from a two-set deficit against Soderling to take the match into a deciding fifth set where the dual French Open runner-up finally sealed the 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 5-7, 6-4 victory.
Soderling now faces the USA’s Taylor Dent in the second round, after the world No. 70 disposed of Alejandro Falla in straight sets in his opening match.
Hewitt, seeded 32nd this year, suffered his maiden first-round loss in Flushing Meadows as the big-hitting Mathieu pounded 72 winners at the Australian on the way to recording a 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 4-6, 6-1 win.
Hewitt won the US Open title in 2001, defeating Pete Sampras in straight sets in the final, and last appeared in the New York decider in 2004, where Roger Federer won past the former world No. 1 to claim his first US Open crown.
The world No. 34 had been drawn to face a potential third-round match against Federer this year, but with Hewitt’s loss, last year’s runner-up is now guaranteed a seed-free path into the fourth round of the year’s final Grand Slam.
Also pushed to five sets on day one were 13th seed Jurgen Melzer, who eventually prevailed over Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov, and Gael Monfils who finally shook off American Robert Kendrick’s determined challenge after three hours and 19 minutes on court.
One who had an easier path through to the second round on day one was American No. 1 Andy Roddick, who defeated France’s Stephane Robert 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on centre court.
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