New York: Justine Henin-Hardenne began the US Open with a 74-minute victory over Maria Elena Camerin, eliminating the Italian 6-2, 6-1 as the last of the year’s Grand Slams started late and under cloudy skies.

Overnight rain followed by lingering showers held up the start of play for about 90 minutes. The No. 2 seed, however, broke Camerin early and easily advanced to the second round.

Number 9 Andy Roddick avoided a repeat of last year when he was eliminated in the first round by Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller, needing only an hour, 15 minutes to get past Florent Serra of France 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. Camerin took an injury timeout, leaving the court after the third game of the second set to seek care for a thigh injury.

No. 28 seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan was the first to reach the second round, taking only 41 minutes to beat the Czech Republic’s Zuzana Ondraskova 6-1, 6-0.

Among other early women’s results, No. 21 Shahar Peer of Israel beat Vasilisa Bardina of Russia 6-2, 6-2; No. 26 Marion Bartoli defeated Olga Poutchkova of Russia 6-4, 6-0 and 33rd seed Vera Zvonareva downed Marta Domachowska of Poland 7-6 (4), 6-3.

On the men’s side, Mikhail Youzhny scored the first upset, eliminating 19th-seeded Dominik Hrbaty 7-5, 6-1, 6-3. In another match, No. 20 Novak Djokovic of Serbia overcame a first-set loss to beat American Donald Young 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-1.

(AP)