Lindsay Davenport is protecting her troublesome left foot by spending as little time as possible on the court.

　　Davenport reached the third round of the US Open in just under two hours, dropping only seven games along the way. She didn't dazzle by any means in her 6-2, 6-4 second-round victory against Maria Elena Camerin on Wednesday.

　　It didn't matter.

　　What was most important to the 1998 Open champion was that she didn't focus more attention on her foot than the woman on the other side of the net.

　　"I didn't feel it at all today," a cheerful Davenport said. "I think, hopefully, as more days go by, if it doesn't flare up, I'll be more and more confident pushing off it and not really worrying about it."

　　Davenport has been battling a nerve problem in her left foot and will undergo surgery after the Open. She received a cortisone shot Saturday night after retiring in the final of the Pilot Pen against Jennifer Capriati.

　　Then, she canceled her practice session on Sunday at the National Tennis Center, raising questions as to whether she, too, would withdraw.

　　World No 1 Kim Clijsters joins the third-seeded Davenport in the third round of the season's final Slam, after overpowering Laura Granville 6-1, 6-1.

　　The top-seeded Clijsters, who took over the No 1 ranking from Serena Willi-ams this month, is aiming for her first Grand Slam title.

　　"If it's in their head they're playing the No 1, maybe that's a little bit intimidating," Clijsters said. "On the other hand, that could even be also more motivating as well. I think it depends on the character of your opponent."

　　US Davis Cup player James Blake pulled off an upset against 27th-seeded Mariano Zabaleta 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-2.

　　Blake hit a 169 kph second-serve ace on his fourth match point, then called for a ball from the ball-boy and hit it into the stands.

　　Reigning Wimbledon champion Roger Federer won his first-round match against Argentine Jose Acasuso after Acasuso called two injury timeouts and eventually retired two games into the fourth set with a groin problem. The score was 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 2-0.

　　Acasuso took an injury timeout earlier in the match to receive drops in his right eye. During the second delay, between the third and fourth sets, Acasuso lay with his stomach to the hard court as a trainer massaged his back and legs.

　　Instead of sitting down, Federer juggled the ball with his feet and hit a few serves.

　　The man Federer beat in the Wimbledon final, No 20-seeded Mark Philippoussis, won his first-round match on Wednesday, as did 2002 Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian, No 7 Carlos Moya, and No 10 Jiri Novak. Philippoussis, also a finalist at the 1998 Open, pounded 20 aces to beat Janko Tipsarevic 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

　　Women's winners included No 5 Amelie Mauresmo, No 9 Daniela Hantuchova, French Open semifinalist Nadia Petrova, No 14 Amanda Coetzer and No 13 Vera Zvonareva, who eliminated US teenager Ashley Harkleroad 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 thanks in part to a 37-16 edge in winners.

　　In the second set, Harkleroad screamed at the chair umpire after what she thought was a series of missed calls.

　　"You can never be my chair umpire again! That's horrible!" Harkleroad yelled. She later said she could have handled the situation with more maturity.