Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic breezed into the third round of the US Open with a straight-set triumph yesterday then brushed aside rumors of romance with Paraguayan Olympic beauty Leryn Franco.

Showing no sign of a left ankle injury he suffered late in a first-round victory, Australian Open champion Djokovic defeated US qualifier Robert Kendrick 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, 6-4.

Djokovic, last year's US Open runner-up, booked a Sunday date with Croatian Marin Cilic at the year's final Grand Slam tournament and the Serbian star says that's the only sort of date on his mind.

Djokovic, coming to Flushing Meadows off a bronze-medal singles showing at the Beijing Olympics, denied he is involved in a romance with Franco, who placed 51st in the women's javelin at Beijing with a toss of 45.34 metres.

"I've heard this has been the main subject in the papers and they even showed it on the TV two days ago when I played my first match," Djokovic said.

"I'm denying this and I'm saying we don't have a romance like people call it already. I even heard she's here so it's kind of strange because I would be the first to know probably.

"The papers are trying to make another scandal of it. Another romance. This is part of my life and I have to accept it like this.

"We know each other. That's true. We met and then she came to watch my matches. But there is nothing more than friendship."

She's a good friend to have. Franco (26) was 42nd at the 2004 Athens Olympics and is a famous model and beauty pageant contestant.

They have been linked in internet gossip columns but Djokovic tries to ignore such things to focus on his tennis.

"You try not to pay too much attention because media can make you a star and bring you down in a day," Djokovic said. "I accept it's part of my life. I have to be careful what I say and get used to it."

Djokovic taped his left ankle as a precaution but said there is no pain from his earlier ankle mishap.

"It's already history," Djokovic said. "I didn't feel any discomfort on the movements, especially the quick ones. I decided with my doctor there is no need to have my ankle taped now."

Djokovic's speed made a believer out of 113th-ranked Kendrick.

"I was pretty much surprised at how fast he was," Kendrick said. "A few of those shots I hit and he got to, I was kind of in shock."

Djokovic did have a fight to subdue Kendrick, seizing a 6-2 lead in the opening tie-breaker only to squander the edge and give the American a chance to serve for the opening set.

"When I need to step it up, that's what I do," Djokovic said. "For me it was very important mentally to survive that first set, when I was 6-2 and he came back and had set point and the serve.

"It could go either way. But these tough matches make you stronger mentally so you can use that experience for the future."