For a second day in a row, the temperature reached the 90s (around 30C) in New York City, and the heat appears to have produced upsets. Marcos Baghdatis may be rethinking his decision to play New Haven. He didn’t win the tournament, but he had been playing hot tennis up to then. The lesson? Be wary of wily veterans. Once Agassi retired, Arnaud Clement claimed the mantle of pirate tennis player with a bandana covering his head and wrap-around sunglasses and he took out the lone Cypriot in 5 sets: 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Mardy Fish also had a weirdly tough match. He went five sets, but each of this three sets were totally lopsided against the Czech, Jan Hajek. Final score: 6-0, 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1.
Veteran Rainer Schuettler lost to Frenchman Benoit Paire in five sets: 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2). In one of the toughest opening rounds, Ernests Gulbis had to play Jeremy Chardy who made the quarterfinals of Toronto a few weeks ago. Gulbis showed some signs that he was ready to break through taking a set off Nadal and beating Roger Federer on clay, but he seems to have taken a step backwards. He lost in straight sets to Chardy: 6-2, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4.
Several Spaniards had straight sets wins today. Tommy Robredo beat Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic. Feliciano Lopez beat a talented Santiago Giraldo, and Daniel Gimeno-Traver beat the best Finnish player ever, Jarkko Nieminen.
Robby Ginepri fell in four sets to Argentine Eduardo Schwank. Philipp Petzschner won easily in straight sets over Dusan Lojda of the Czech Republic.
Novak Djokovic is fighting for his life. He took the fourth set, 7-5, to tie the match at two sets each. Fognini took the first set easily over Verdasco, 6-1. Julien Benneteau is up 2 sets to love against Radek Stepanek, who has been off the tour for some time (he dd play some since Wimbledon, but not a great deal).
Peter Polansky of Canada who got past the first round in Toronto is giving Juan Monaco some trouble. He’s up two sets to love against the 30th seed.
