Liguori: Americans Take Center Stage On Second Day Of US Open
By Ann Liguori
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Andy Roddick served 20 aces to beat fellow American Rhyne Williams, a qualifier from Knoxville, Tennessee, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Roddick, who has to carry the label of being the last American man to win a Major (he won his only Major at the U.S. Open in 2003), turns 30 years old on Thursday and hopes to be celebrating into the second week of the tournament.
Venus Williams then took center stage and disposed of fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 6-3, 6-1. When asked about her health, Venus said that she feels great. She's still on a "high" after winning another Olympic Gold Medal in doubles with her sister, Serena, this past July.
Next door on Louis Armstrong Stadium, Sam Querrey -- the 27th seed this year -- rallied after dropping the first set in a tiebreaker against Yen-Hsun Lu and won in four sets.
Vania King was not able to beat her doubles partner, Yaroslava Shvedova, 4-6, 2-6.
And hello Dennis Novikov, a sophomore at UCLA who had quite the win today. He's the youngest guy in the draw at 18 years and 10 months, and the lowest-ranked player as well at 1,098th in the world. He was able to knock out a guy ranked 86th in the world -- Jerzy Janowicz --in four sets.
American Sloane Stephens is battling Francesca Schiavone of Italy and Christina McHale is still to play on the Grandstand Court.
Irina Falconi is also taking on Olga Puchkova of Russia on Court 17.
And Serena Williams begins her quest to win her fourth U.S. Open title on Tuesday night with a first-round match under the lights against fellow American Coco Vandeweghe.
Serena Williams aside, how much noise will the Americans make in Flushing when it's all said and done? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below...
