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Nadal struggles past wild card Jones

Italy's Sara Errani returns a shot to Marion Bartoli of France during their second round match at the US Open Tennis Championship at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Wednesday. Bartoli won 6-4, 6-2. PHOTO: AFP

Rafael Nadal struggled on a sore left knee past unheralded Australian Alun Jones on Wednesday to reach the second round of the US Open, but his bid for a third Grand Slam final in a row appears doomed.

Severe tendinitis slowed the 21 year old Spaniard, who escaped with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory after two hours and 44 minutes over a 123rd-ranked wild card in his first top-level match outside his homeland.

"Maybe if I'm in another tournament, I never go to the court," Nadal said. "But it is the US Open and it is very important tournament to me."

Nadal grimaced when the knee was being treated by a trainer after the third set, a sign that he could struggle in round two against Serbian Jarko Tipsarevic.

Swiss world No.1 Roger Federer advanced to the third round past Chile's Paul Capdeville 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 in 89 minutes.

Federer, next plays the US' John Isner, who beat South African Rik de Voest 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).

Women's world No. 1 Justine Henin, Wimbledon winner Venus Williams, Australian Open champion Serena Williams, Serbian third seed Jelena Jankovic and Serbian fifth seed Ana Ivanovic also reached the third round.

But the day's top story was Nadal's injury, which he said is not a long-term worry after an MRI. Nadal suffered the setback on Sunday while practicing.

In the third set, Jones rallied from triple break-point down to hold and pull even, then broke to seize a 4-3 lead as the drama built.

That's when Nadal had a trainer retape his left knee. He broke at love in the next game and won seven more in a row to seal Jones' fate.

Nadal's quarter of the draw was eased by the ouster of Chilean seventh seed Fernando Gonzalez. Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili outlasted the Australian Open runner-up 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 5-7, 6-4.

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Rolle shares stage with Williams despite disparities

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