28 Aug 2008

Victorious Safin slams "stupid" rules

7:46 am on 28 August 2008

The former US Open champion Marat Safin has attacked the "stupid rules" of tennis after a controversial foot-fault call almost derailed his progress into the second round in New York.

The former world number one was leading the American Vince Spadea two sets to one but trailing 4-5 and 40-40 in the fourth, when he was foot-faulted on his second serve.

Safin says it's ridiculous for a foot-fault to be called from the other end of the court.

The resultant double-fault gave Spadea set point, which he clinched, but Safin bounced back well in the decider to win 3-6 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-4.

Earlier the world number one Ana Ivanovic narrowly avoided the humiliation of becoming the first top-seeded woman to lose in the opening round.

The 20-year-old Serb made 40 unforced errors before beating Russia's Vera Dushevina in three ugly sets.

Her potential quarter-final opponent, the sixth seed Dinara Safina, kept up her recent hot streak to beat the 16-year-old grand slam debutante Kristie Ahn in straight sets.

And Serena Williams began her title charge with a 6-1 6-4 thumping of Kateryna Bondarenko.