Federer, Roddick cruise at U.S. Open

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Former champions Roger Federer and Andy Roddick both cruised to first round victories Monday at the U.S. Open in New York.

Federer, the No. 2 seed and five-time tourney winner, posted a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Brian Dabul of Argentina in the night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Swiss superstar reached the finals last year only to be stunned by Juan Martin del Potro, preventing him from capturing a sixth straight Flushing Meadows title.

Ninth-seeded Roddick celebrated his 28th birthday with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over Frenchman Stephane Robert, improving his career U.S. Open record to 36-9.

Roddick, the tourney's 2003 champ, fired eight aces and had his serve broken only once in the match. He next faces Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia, who downed Belgian Olivier Rochus 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-0), 6-2.

In other Monday matches, fifth-seeded Swede Robin Soderling struggled mightily to survive a stiff challenge from unheralded Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer, hanging on for a 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 5-7, 6-4 victory.

No. 6 seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia glided to a second-round berth with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 rout of American journeyman Michael Russell.