• US Open, Day Three

Del Potro batters Volandri

Louk Sorensen gave it maximum effort but it was not enough © PA Photos

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Juan Martin del Potro announced himself on the US Open with a crushing 6-3 6-1 6-1 victory over Filippo Volandri.

The 2009 winner at Flushing Meadows is feeling his way back to full fitness and form following a career-threatening wrist injury and has shown flashes of quality this year.

Hard courts are his surface and he proved the point when disposing of Volandri with the minimum of fuss. Del Potro demonstrated when beating Roger Federer in the final in 2009 that he has the weapons to test the elite of the game and he is sure to be a real threat in Andy Murray's side of the draw.

Del Potro powered down 18 aces and hit 38 winners, leaving his Italian opponent chasing shadows.

Volandri had to call the trainer on to court at one stage to receive treatment on a back problem, which was surely inflicted by the amount of running he was forced to do by Del Potro who advanced to the second round at a canter.

Andy Roddick proved too strong for compatriot Michael Russell during their evening session clash on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The No. 21 seed claimed a relatively straightforward 6-2 6-4 4-6 7-5 victory.

Roddick stormed out of the blocks to stamp his authority on the match, winning the first three games with ease. The former world No. 1 then continued his dominance throughout the first two sets.

However, a slip-up in the third allowed a dogged Russell back into the contest, before Roddick regained his composure to earn a break of serve in the 12th game of the fourth set to close out the match.

Ireland's Conor Niland succumbed to illness on Tuesday, being unable to finish his match against Novak Djokovic, and it was a similar story for his fellow countryman Louk Sorensen who retired due to injury against Rogerio Dutra da Silva.

Sorensen had prepared for Robin Soderling, but his plans were thrown into disarray when the No. 6 seed pulled out through illness minutes before the match. Lucky loser Dutra da Silva was handed a place in the draw and he caught his Irish opponent cold, running through the opening set to love.

Sorensen hit back with some much improved play to level the contest and matched his opponent in the third set, until he started to cramp up in his hand and leg when serving to save the set. He produced some smart play to save three set points, but then saw Dutra da Silva frame a mishit forehand that landed on the line and then netted an audacious hotdog as his rival moved within one set of victory. The Irishman attempted to play on but he was a spent force and offered his hand with the score at 6-0 3-6 6-4 1-0.

The tenth seed was sent spinning out of the tournament, as Spain's Nicolas Almagro was comprehensively outpointed by Julien Benneteau who raced to a 6-2 6-4 6-3 win.

Spain did have something to cheer as the 25th seed Feliciano Lopez eased to a 6-2 6-4 6-4 win over Tatsuma Ito.

John Isner eventually overcame Marcos Baghdatis in a tightly contested affair. The 28th seed ultimately prevailed 7-6(2) 7-6(11) 2-6 6-4 as both players traded spectacular winners throughout the match.

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