In the afternoon <strong>Serena Williams </strong>overwhelmed <strong>Kateryna Bondarenko </strong>6-1, 6-4. In the evening <strong>Venus Williams </strong>had little trouble beating <strong>Samantha Stosur </strong>6-2, 6-3 at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadow, N.Y.</p><p>That was far easier than for Russian siblings <strong>Marat Safin </strong>and <strong>Dinara Safina</strong>. Safina, ranked No. 7 in the world, fought off 10 double faults and 35 unforced errors on the way to beating <strong>Kristie Ahn </strong>6-3, 6-4. But older brother <strong>Marat</strong>, the 2000 champion, had an even harder match, going five sets and one volcanic eruption after a foot-fault call, before beating <strong>Vince Spadea</strong> 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.</p><p>&#8220;Maybe today I went out not 100 percent focused,&#8221; Safina said. &#8220;I was struggling on the court. I was a little bit achy.&#8221;</p><p>Marat left the court bending the ear of the tournament referee after he had gotten into a shouting match with the match judge for being called for a foot fault when his back foot crossed the center line.</p><p>&#8220;I wish I could play normal matches and enjoy tennis sometimes,&#8221; Safin said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t want fight. I don&#8217;t want to shout.&#8221;</p><p>As for the Williams sisters &#8212; both two-time champions &#8212; Serena said she can hardly remember the last time she won her (it was 2002), but: &#8220;At this tournament, I&#8217;m feeling great, I&#8217;m feeling confident. I&#8217;m enjoying every moment I&#8217;m out there.&#8221;</p><p>And Venus said: &#8220;I&#8217;ve had a chance to play and be healthy, so I&#8217;m excited.&#8221;</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="infobox-head">U.S. Open notes </span></strong><br /> &#8226;<strong>BAD START</strong>: Ana Ivanovic, ranked No. 1 in the world, had 40 unforced errors but avoided a first-round loss when she rallied past Vera Dushevina 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. She has played just two matches since July because of a thumb injury.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>SEEDED LOSERS</strong>: No. 12 Richard Gasquet was the highest seeded player on the men&#8217;s side to lose. On the women&#8217;s side it was No. 11 Daniela Hantuchova.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>TURN OUT THE LIGHTS</strong>: In the final stadium match of the night, Roger Federer beat Maximo Gonzalez 6-3, 6-0, 6-3. Gonzalez was hanging with Federer before Federer won 10 straight games in a run spanning all three sets. Federer said he was &#8220;motivated to do very well here&#8221; because he was No. 2 in the world after 237 weeks at No. 1.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>STAT</strong>: Tommy Haas committed only one unforced error in the fifth set of his victory over Gasquet. It came on his first of two match points.</p><p>&#8226;<strong>QUOTE</strong>: &#8220;If she will do everything opposite of what I&#8217;ve been doing throughout the years, she will be No. 1 in the world for a long time.&#8221; &#8212; Marat Safin, on his sister, Dinara, who won her first-round match on Tuesday.</p><p></div>