Nadal battles on

Beijing gold medallist Rafael Nadal shook off his Olympic hangovers late on Monday to stumble into the second round of the US Open in New York.

As the newly-crowned world number one, Nadal would have been expected to flatten a qualifier ranked 136th in the world.

But the Spaniard's exertions over the past few weeks, where he made a flying visit to the Chinese capital to add the Games title to his triumphs at the French Open and Wimbledon, appeared to have caught up with him as he struggled to a 7-6 6-3 7-6 win over Germany's Bjorn Phau.

"The problem is playing Toronto, Cincinnati and Beijing, then coming back in New York. In two weeks, two times, 12 hours' jet lag," said Nadal, who ended Roger Federer's record run of 237 consecutive weeks at the top last Monday.

"I'm a little bit more tired than I usually am but, at the same time, I must be very happy how I did this year."

Phau must have experienced a sleepless night at the prospect of facing the imposing figure of Nadal across the net.

But once he stepped on to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court, he put in a nerveless display to rattle the Spaniard.

Nadal eventually revealed his iron will to end Phau's brave challenge in just under three hours.

Ninth seed James Blake may also have suffered from Beijing fatigue, needing five sets to subdue 19-year-old fellow American Donald Young 6-1 3-6 6-1 4-6 6-4 to bring the curtain down on the opening day's play.

On a night when Flushing Meadows paid a glittering tribute to the players who have won singles titles in New York since tennis turned professional in 1968, Nadal and Dementieva led a parade of Olympic champions, past and present, into round two.

Lindsay Davenport, winner in Atlanta in 1996, did not seem to suffer from any ill effects from the knee injury which has curtailed her season and eased past Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4 6-2.

Men's 10th seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who helped Federer fulfil his Olympic dream by winning the doubles crown in Beijing, beat Simone Bolelli of Italy 7-6 6-3 6-3.

British sixth seed Andy Murray lived up to his billing as a title contender when he gave unlucky Argentine Sergio Roitman the run-around in a 6-3 6-4 6-0 mauling.

Roitman's compatriot David Nalbandian enjoyed better fortune and overcame Brazilian Marcos Daniel 6-1 6-2 6-4.

Second seed Jelena Jankovic underlined her title aspirations with an unforgiving 6-3 6-1 exhibition against grand slam debutante Coco Vandeweghe.

Tenth seed Anna Chakvetadze's challenge, however, stalled in the first round. She collapsed to her earliest grand slam defeat in over three years when she was hustled out 1-6 6-2 6-3 by fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova.

Other results: (Women) Safina bt Ahn 6-3 6-4; Ivanovic bt Dushevina 6-1 4-6 6-4; Pennetta bt Voegele 2-6 6-2 6-2. (Men) Querrey bt Berdych 6-3 6-1 6-2; Serra bt Schuettler 7-6 6-0 2-0 (Schuettler retired).