Safin overcomes Dancevic threat

Flushing Meadows, New York, 27 August-9 September

Marat Safin avoided an upset in round one of the US Open with a 7-5 7-6 7-6 win over danger-man Frank Dancevic.

Dancevic reached the Indianapolis final earlier this summer, beating Andy Roddick on the way, but Safin made him pay for not taking his chances.

The Canadian served for the second and third sets but 2000 champion Safin, who showed only glimpses of his brilliant best, fought back each time.

The Russian will face Stanislas Wawrinka or Evgeny Korolev next.

Mikhail Youzhny , last year's semi-finalist, got his 2007 campaign off to an impressive start with a 6-0 6-1 6-2 over US Open debantant Nicolas Devilder of France.

Source: BBC Sport