Roddick shows power

Hewitt reached the semi-final stage last year

American teenager Andy Roddick overpowered experienced Czech Slava Dosedal in the first round of the US Open.

Roddick, 18, hit 16 aces on his way to a 6-4 6-1 6-2 vistory at Flushing Meadows.

"I just wanted to get out there, put some balls in the court in the first set and I started rolling in the second and third. I felt good," said Roddick.

Earlier, Pete Sampras reached the second round with a comfortable victory over Julien Boutter.

The 10th seed won in straight sets but needed two tiebreaks to see off the talented Frenchman in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

In round two, Sampras, who was runner-up at Flushing Meadows last year, will play Brazilian Andre Sa.

Sampras's Wimbledon conqueror, Roger Federer, was another seed to progress.

"I still feel I'm one of the strong favourites, even though the year has been disappointing," said Sampras after the match.

The 20-year-old Swiss player, who is seeded 13, beat Germany's Lars Burgsmuller 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Australian fourth seed Lleyton Hewitt came through in straight sets against Magnus Gustafsson, playing in his last Grand Slam event.

But fifth seed Juan Carlos Ferrero had to go the distance with Arnaud di Pasquale.

The Spaniard had to serve to save the match in the fourth set - he did so and overwhelmed the tiring di Pasquale in the tiebreak.

Grosjean was beaten in straight sets

Ferrero then raced through the final set 6-0.

Eighth seed Sebastien Grosjean became the highest seed to fall so far.

The Frenchman, playing his first tournament after a six-week lay-off with an ankle injury, was beaten 6-4 6-3 6-4 by Argentine Mariano Zabaleta.

Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov made hard work of beating Michel Kratochvil, of Switzerland, 1-6 6-1 5-7 6-4 6-4.

Hicham Arazi had a real battle to see off Agustin Calleri of Argentina.

The 28th-seeded Moroccan led by two sets to love but ended up being taken to five sets.

No such problems for the number 25 seed, Spaniard Albert Portas, who beat Cristiano Caratti of Italy in straight sets.

Frenchman Nicolas Escude was another three-set winner, the 31st seed beating Hyung-Taik Lee of Korea.

Di Pasquale: Pushed Juan Carlos Ferrero to five sets

Eleventh seed Alex Corretja, of Spain, beat Raemon Sluiter, of the Netherlands, was made to work for his 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-2 victory.

Other seeds safely into the next round include Sweden's Thomas Johansson and American Jan-Michael Gambill.

Fourteenth seed Johansson beat German Puentes, of Spain, for the loss of just five games.

Gambill, seeded 20, beat 1993 runner-up Cedric Pioline in straight sets.

America's Todd Martin dispatched compatriot Mike Russell 6-4 6-4 7-5.