Roger Federer nearly saw the highest-ranked obstacle in his path to the US Open semi-finals eliminated in the first round, but Robin Soderling survived yesterday against a Grand Slam debutante. <table style="width: 141px; height: 42px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="141" align="right" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/aug/soderling.jpg" border="0" /></td></tr> <tr> <td> Robin Soderling stretches for the ball during his 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 5-7, 6-4 win over Andreas Haider-Maurer yesterday. PICS/AFP</td></tr></tbody></table>French Open runner-up Soderling outlasted 214th-ranked Austrian qualifier Andreas Haider-Maurer 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 5-7, 6-4 after three hours and 52 minutes. He will next face American Taylor Dent or Colombian Alejandro Falla. Swedish fifth seed Soderling ousted Federer in a French Open quarter-final, ending the Swiss star's run of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semi-finals, and the two are on course to meet in the US Open quarter-finals if form holds. Also advancing on day one of the year's last Slam were Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko, who beat American Michael Russell 6-4, 6-1, 6-3, and US ninth seed Andy Roddick, who ousted France's Stephane Robert 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. World number two Federer, seeking his 17th Grand Slam title and seventh consecutive trip to the US Open final, was set to face Argentina's Brian Dabul in a night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Federer's run of five consecutive US Open titles was ended last year by Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro, who is injured and not defending his title. Soderling, 26, struggled to dispatch the 214th-ranked Haider-Maurer, a 23-year-old who fired 34 aces past the first top-10 opponent of his career. Roddick celebrates birthday in style American Andy Roddick celebrated his 28th birthday today with a comfortable first round victory in the US Open at Flushing Meadows. Roddick, the ninth seed, dropped just seven games as he beat France's Stephane Robert 6-3 6-2 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the scene of his sole Grand Slam triumph. The former world number one won the US Open in 2003 but has been unable to break the dominance enjoyed by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal since, losing three Wimbledon finals to Federer ufffd most famously 16-14 in the fifth set of an epic contest last year.

Roger Federer nearly saw the highest-ranked obstacle in his path to the US Open semi-finals eliminated in the first round, but Robin Soderling survived yesterday against a Grand Slam debutante.

Fifth seed Soderling struggles past qualifier

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Fifth seed Soderling struggles past qualifier

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