By Greg Heakes
August 27th 2008 @ 1:53am
Nadal, Dementieva shake off Olympic hangovers
Olympic champions Rafael Nadal and Elena Dementieva started their US Open campaigns today by overcoming stiff challenges from unseeded opponents.
Nadal, who goes into a grand slam ranked No.1 in the world for the first time, outlasted Bjorn Phau 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 7-6 (7-4) on day one of the $US20.6 million ($A24 million) tournament.
Like Nadal, Dementieva came out shaky but finished on a winning note by brushing aside Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4 7-5.
Nadal will face Ryler De Heart who surprised Belgium’s Olivier Rochus in a five setter 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Nadal has his gold medal to go with his victories at the French Open and Wimbledon this year.
Last week he surpassed Roger Federer as the world’s top ranked player after spending a record 160 weeks as No.2.
Scottish sixth seed Andy Murray, who is looking to improve on his fourth-round finish last year, rolled to a 6-3 6-4 6-0 win over Sergio Roitman in his opening match in the final Grand Slam of the season.
On the women’s side of the draw, Dementieva, second seed Jelena Jankovic, third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, China’s Li Na and 23rd seeded Lindsay Davenport, of the US, all advanced.
Dementieva had four double faults and only three aces but made less unforced errors, 20 to 32, than her opponent in the 88 minute match on the main Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Dementieva next faces France’s Pauline Parmentier, who beat Marina Erakovic of New Zealand 6-3 7-6 (7-2).
Li got off to a disastrous start before coming from behind to beat Israel’s Shahar Peer 2-6 6-0 6-1 on the Grandstand court.
The lowest seed to get knocked out on the opening day was 10th ranked Anna Chakvetadze who lost to Russian compatriot Ekaterina Makarova 1-6 6-2 6-3.
In the night match, former world No.1 Jankovic launched her quest to reach her first Grand Slam final, cruising past American wild card Coco Vandeweghe 6-3 6-1.
This is the sixth straight US Open for second seeded Jankovic who moves through to the second round where she will face Swede Sofia Arvidsson who beat China’s Yan Zi 6-2 6-4.
Jankovic needed just 27 minutes to win the second set today, forcing the 16-year-old Vandeweghe into making mistakes especially when the American attacked the net.
Men’s second seed Federer, women’s world No.1 Ana Ivanovic and the Williams sisters play their first round matches on Tuesday.
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