Taylor Dent's Back...

AP

Has been the source of all sorts of woe and anguish for the veteran American who delights fans with his old school serve-and-volley game. But surgeries and metal plates and long recoveries never extinguished his desire to make another run of it. When he defeated Feliciano Lopez in four sets, Dent howled as though expelling all his disappointment in one sound. It's been four years since he one a main draw match at the US Open.

Welcome back.

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Speaking of woe and anguish, Dinara Safina is full of it. If not for the inexperience of her teenage opponent, this world No. 1 would be out of the tournament.

The fans were squarely behind Olivia Rogowska to put the world No. 1 (and themselves) out of her misery.

What I want to know is why ESPN showed so much of such a disgusting match. It was surely not the kind of performance that would attract any new fans to the sport.

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Indian history. From rabbit...

Also, Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza winning their opening matches marks the first time in history there's an Indian player in both the men's and women's sides in the second round of a slam.

Bravo. It's these far-off-the-radar factoids that impress me more often that the narratives the commentators spin. If not for our readership....

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Reuters

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia reacts during her loss to Kateryna Bondarenko of the Ukraine during their match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, September 1, 2009.

Somebody stick a fork in Ana Ivanovic. Last year she fell in the second round after surviving in the first, this year, she wasn't so lucky.

Time for her to grow up.

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Americans did well with some unexpected victories from Shenay Perry (remember her?) and Jesse Witten, who upset No. 29 seed Igor Andreev in straight sets to the loss of six games with a middle-set bagel. The Russian isn't exactly a slouch. I wish I could have seen that one.

Getty

There are 8 American women into the second round, most of whom I've never even heard of before. Impressive.

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Prime time action was blah. I didn't expect any upsets, but the Pit Bull had no bite and the Latvian confirmed his status as a waste of space. Miss 100% and the Scot did only what they needed to do, which wasn't much at all.

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At the end of WTA first-round action, my pretty youngster is still alive....