Fish believes fitness will lead to deep run

No one-way ticket to Palookaville for Mardy Fish. At 28, "I no longer want to be in that position anymore" - of "going through Slams and coming out disappointed." He wants to be a contender.

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal last night began his pursuit of a first U.S. Open championship with a testy 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Russia's 93rd-ranked Teimuraz Gabashvili. Five-time Open champ Roger Federer remains an almost magical presence and Britain's Andy Murray lurks as another potential tournament winner.

Yet it is Fish's story line - losing 30 pounds after knee surgery, redirecting what had been a workmanlike pro tennis career into challenging for the world's top 20 - that has stirred exceptional attention through this summer's hard- court tour, right into the Open.

Ten years into his pro career, Fish has gotten past the third round of a major tournament only twice - including a run to the quarterfinals here two years ago - but now is being asked whether he suddenly believes himself capable of winning a major.

He temporarily was tested in his first-round match against Czech Jan Hajek, ranked 82nd, in yesterday's first-round match, but won going away, 6-0, 3-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1, an apparent testament to Fish's newfound fitness and confidence.

"This is a new position for me," Fish said. "To have a lot of expectations, have a lot of people talking about you. It's a new spot for me, and it's where I want to be, for sure. But I'll have to get used to it."

He has no regrets about the past, he said, about not paying as much attention to nutrition and fitness. "That was who I was, between 20 and 26 years old. That's long gone, long gone," he said.

What matters to him is how he has become "a completely different player, able to do things that I've never been able to do before," with his results thrusting him legitimately into the conversation as a U.S. Open threat.

In winning July's Open tuneup in Atlanta, Fish beat the two highest-ranked Americans, Andy Roddick and John Isner. In pushing to the Cincinnati final two weeks ago, he beat Roddick and - for the third straight time - Murray.

"I haven't shown I can beat the top players in three-of-five sets," Fish said, "but coming off a tournament like Cincinnati, every guy I played there was either in the top 10 or was just in the top 10. I feel, physically, I can do it; I've never felt like that before.

"I know I can beat these guys, but I haven't shown it in three-out-of-five sets. So I'd like to do that once and then answer the question."