Sportmaster International

New York - Home hero James Blake struggled with the crafty game of French shot-maker Fabrice Santoro to earn the first five-set win of his career with a post-midnight victory Friday at the US Open. The American ninth seed from neighbouring Connecticut managed to pip the cramping 34-year-old 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to give the Gotham late-night crowd its first after-hours thrill of the fortnight. It took three and half hours for Blake to go the distance after nine defeats over five sets. ‘There used to be a big monkey on my back before this five-setter,’

said a relieved Blake, who almost fell apart as his opponent cramped but still stayed well in the match in the closing stages. ‘Hopefully, there will be plenty more to come,’ he added. ‘I tip my hat to Fabrice, who plays tough tennis at age 34. He’s fighting in every match. ‘It’s really tough to put balls away against him. You never know what’s coming, you have to be ready for anything.’ Santoro twice took late treatment for the problem in his left leg and forced Blake to the wall in a ninth game of the final set, which went to four deuces as the American held after saving three break points. Blake advanced as he finally wore down the man they call ‘The Magician’ for his double-fisted attack off both wings, breaking the final game with an untouchable winner. ‘I was very tired at end,’ said Santoro, winner of a title on grass in July. ‘I was cramping everywhere, but I would have loved to have played for two more hours in this atmosphere,’ in which the New York fans cheered him in defeat. ‘I tried to give James some troubles. I think I did - he looks tired.’ Blake’s compatriot Andy Roddick took what he could get on his 25th birthday, grabbing a third-round place after Argentine Jose Acasuso withdrew with a knee injury while trailing 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. ‘I don’t think you like winning matches like that,’ said the 2003 winner who improved to 3-1 in career birthday matches at Flushing Meadows. ‘I felt [after the first set] that I was starting to play OK and make returns and react,’ he said. ‘But at the end of the day, your goal is to get through and to give yourself a chance to play in the third round.’ Number 4 Nikolay Davydenko also made his move into the third round, dashing the upset hopes of German Nicolas Kiefer 6-2, 6-2, 6-2. Ninth seeded Czech Tomas Berdych advanced over Italy’s Simone Bolelli 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 while American teenager Donald Young got a free ride at his career-first Grand Slam when 13th seed Richard Gasquet withdrew because of illness prior to their match. South Korean Hyung Taik put out 14th seed Guillermo Canas 7-5, 7- 5, 6-3, eliminating the man who beat Roger Federer twice in as many events on spring hard court. Andy Murray sealed his comeback from more than three months of wrist injury agony with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 defeat of Jonas Bjorkman. The British number 1 further polished his game, which had been dulled by a dozen weeks out of ATP action, followed by two poor comeback weeks at August Masters Series events in Montreal and Cincinnati. The former top 10 player who won the Open juniors in 2004, claimed matches for the first time in his comeback as he stopped 1997 semi-finalist Bjorkman, 15 years his senior. Women’s holder Maria Sharapova raced past inexperienced Australian Casey Dellacqua 6-1, 6-0 with an effortless 30 winners and six breaks of serve against the number 90, a 22-year-old playing the New York main draw for the first time. Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 winner, led a Russian trio ahead, pacing fellow seeds Anna Chakvetadze and Nadia Petrova, numbers 6 and 7. ‘It feels pretty much a long time ago,’ said Kuznetsova of her 2004 triumph after overcoming feisty Frenchwoman Camille Pin 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. ‘I try to focus. It’s a new era. It’s been three years.’ Kuzy also returned to her comfort zone as she played for the first time since her trophy run on the Ashe showcase court with its 20,000-person capacity. Chakvetadze, winner of back-to-back titles this summer on hard court in the United States, defeated Australian veteran Nicole Pratt 6-3, 6- 4. Petrova ousted compatriot Anastasia Rodionova 7-5, 6-1. Martina Hingis, 1997’s winner, defeated Pauline Parmentier 6-2, 7-5. The Swiss player took a three-year ‘retirement’ from 2002 to 2006 and has now been a fixture on the WTA for 19 months, but her current season has been compromised by inflammation problems that have affected her hip and back. Hingis was joined as a winner by fellow Swiss player Patty Schnyder, the number 11, who beat Severine Bremond 6-3, 6-0. Nicole Vaidisova, seeded 13th, stopped Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 7-6 (7- 0). © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur