Kuznetsova eases to victory

Russia's Kuznetsova, seeded fourth at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center this year, was the surprise champion in 2004 when she defeated compatriot Elena Dementieva, only to crash out in the first round when she returned to defend the title in 2005.

Having made a run to the round of 16 last year, Kuznetsova showed she can improve further still this year, particularly having already reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon earlier this summer. And she took just 64 minutes to dispatch Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-2 6-3 in the first match at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday morning.

Sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze cruised to a 6-1 6-1 victory over American Ashley Weinhold in just 46 minutes while seventh seed Nadia Petrova got past Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky 6-3 6-1 as she began her attempt to progress beyond the fourth round for the first time at a Grand Slam this year.

Ninth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia was the biggest name to go out in the women's draw to date when she was beaten 6-4 3-6 6-1 by 50th-ranked Julia Vakulenko of the Ukraine on the Grandstand court. But 16th seed Martina Hingis spent only 60 minutes to oust France's Mathilde Johansson 6-0 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Swiss former world number one was a second round casualty at Flushing Meadows last year as she came back froma three-year retirement. But there are no signs she will make so early an exit this week despite an injury-plagued season so far.

In only her fourth match since Wimbledon due to back and hip injuries, Hingis said she was pleased she hit the ground running.

Most of the women seeds found the going easy on the second day of the championship with 11th-seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland casting aside Czech Ivelta Benesova 6-3 6-0.

Thirteenth-seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova, seeded to meet defending champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round, accounted for another Russian, Alla Kudryavtseva, in her first round match.

Vaidisova demolished her opponent 6-1 6-2 in her first match since losing her Wimbledon quarter-final to Ana Ivanovic. Viral illness had kept the 18-year-old out of the North American hardcourt events in Los Angeles, San Diego and Toronto.