Defending Champion eliminated at US Open
(AP)
Updated: 2005-08-30 09:34

Earlier, former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio became the men's first major casualty, falling to 20-year-old American wildcard Brian Baker 7-6 (9), 6-2, 6-4.

Gaudio, the 2004 Roland Garros winner and seeded ninth, has won five titles this season but his quarterfinal appearance at the ATP Master Series event in Montreal earlier this month was his best performance ever on hardcourts.

"I was expecting to make a better tournament here, but I play a guy that today was better than me," Gaudio said. "It would be better if I can reach a few rounds...(He) was serving good and playing good from the baseline."

Hampered by injuries this season and limited to two events on the main ATP tour, Baker needed assistance from medical personnel for what he called "anxiety cramps" in his thigh.

"Obviously he's a lot better on clay, so I tried to press his forehand and make points on my terms instead of his," Baker said.

Elsewhere on the women's side, eighth-seeded Serena Williams beat back a second-set challenge from 16-year-old Taiwanese qualifier Yung-Jan Chan 6-1, 6-3. It was Chan's first appearance in a Grand Slam and a regular WTA Tour event.

After winning the first set in 29 minutes, Williams trailed 3-1 in the second set before rallying to win in an hour and 18 minutes.

"I didn't get tired at all I think I just started flat," Williams said. "Maybe I was thinking about something else. I just was really flat. I knew it. I was like 'Serena, get more pep in your step.'"

Williams advanced to face Colombia's Catalina Castano, who beat Alina Jidkova of Russia 6-4, 6-3. Tenth-seeded Venus Williams joined her sister in the second round, beating Japan's Rika Fujiwara 6-3, 6-1.

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