American Blake feeling good, advances past second round

After he was honored by the USTA on Monday night as one of tennis' most inspirational figures, James Blake was asked if it seemed more like a farewell.

"A couple of people mentioned that to me," Blake said on Tuesday after he won his first match. "They're trying to get rid of me."

They haven't got rid of him yet. Blake won his second match Thursday night, dispatching qualifier Peter Polansky of Canada, 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. A U.S. Open favorite, though hardly a favorite to win these days with his performance continually sagging, Blake showed occasional flashes of his former self, the quick serve, the quick feet, the quick forehand.

"Like I said out there on the court, people say I've been struggling and everything, but I'm still having fun," Blake said. "I'm still having a great time competing. I still love what I do. Out here, I love it even more."

There have been a bunch of niggling injuries recently, something Blake has dealt with his entire career. For the man once ranked No. 4 in the world, and now ranked No. 108, they have stifled his season. It's not easy playing hard courts when you are 30.

"Now it takes a lot more work and there are days when it's just not there 'cause I haven't put in the same amount of time," he said. "That doesn't mean I can't play some pretty good tennis . . . I think you saw Thursday night there were some shots I was getting to that even some 21- and 22-year-olds might not have been getting to."

Federer, Soderling cruise

Five-time champion Roger Federer beat Andreas Beck, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3. No. 5 seed Robin Soderling, had no trouble against American Taylor Dent, beating him 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Frenchman Richard Gasquet ousted No. 6 seed Nikolay Davydenko, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Mardy Fish, the 19th seed, got the best of Pablo Cuevas, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2. Marin Cilic, the 11th seed, fell to Japanese qualifier Kei Nishikori in a four-hour, 59-minute match, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1.