OLYMPICS: DAY 3

Star watch: Justine and Roddick
Prodigy watch: Nadal, Jenkins, Kirkland

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Elena Dementieva goes from '00 silver medalist to first-round loser in Athens.

After two days of walloping winds and abysmal attendance (join the Athens Olympic club tennis players) only two notable players bombed out: Tim Henman and Elena Dementieva. Henman had a very decent draw and lost to the capable Jiri Novak and has to be seriously disappointed in what is sure to his last singles appearance at the Games.

For her part, Dementieva has to be slice-serving herself given how much importance the '00 silver medallist put into going for the gold, but she drew a tough first-round foe in the erratic but powerful Alicia Molik and fell 4-6, 6-0, 6-3. Her friend, Anastasia Myskina, faired much better in wasting Magui Serna 6-0, 6-1.

Guess that Poland pullout did her a world of good. Keeping with the Russia theme, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova also posted wins. TR.net gold medal pick Amelie Mauresmo scored a reasonable 6-1, 6-4 win over Conchita Martinez.

Justine Henin-Hardenne bears very close watching. The No. 1 played very respectably in her first-round win, but a true test will come on Tuesday, when she faces the intelligent counter puncher, Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela. Then we'll see if the Belgian has her legs back.

Roger Federer lost his temper and a set but took out Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, earning himself what could be a tough but spectacular encounter against young Czech Tomas Berdych. Carlos Moya showed tremendous heart in downing Sweden's Thomas Enqvist 7-6(7), 6-7(8), 9-7 and now will face another little Belgian, Olivier Rochus, who downed Australian Mark "My knee is toast" Philippoussis 3-6, 6-0, 6-1.

Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish lost in doubles to Leander Paes/Mahesh Bhupathi, but Roddick is a good bet to get past '00 silver medallist Tommy Haas Tuesday. Fish has a good shot at the physically struggling Juan Carlos Ferrero. Taylor Dent continues to struggle, but did manage to get past Canada's Frederic Niemeyer 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

The underachieving Eleni Daniilidou finally scored a decent win in taking down Colombia's Catalina Castano, 6-2, 6-1, but will face a much sterner test against Maggie Maleeva. The US gals scored three good wins, especially Lisa "The Serena Sub" Raymond's 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory against Lubomira Kurhajcova. Venus Williams and Chanda Rubin won their first round matches Sunday.

In what could be considered an upset of sort, No. 10 Nicolas Massu of Chile took out Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. He'll meet American Vincent Spadea, who scored a tremendous 6-0, 6-1 win against Jurgen Melzer of Austria. Take Spadea over the tired Massu. One decent-sized upset occurred on the women's side when Italy's Tathiana Garbin beat No. 13 Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi 6-2, 6-1.

Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA

Rafael Nadal takes first title.

Minor upsets: Puerto Rico's Kristina Brandi over Croatia's Jelena Kostanic (she must have been inspired by her overachieving hoops team) and Japan's Akiko Morigami scoring a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Iveta Benesova.

Tank of the day: Goes to none other than (huge, huge surprise) Marat Safin and Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, who were wasted 6-1, 6-2 by Bob and Mike Bryan in dubs.

Prodigy watch: Nadal, Jenkins, Kirkland
Sunday was prodigy day, when Spanish 18-year-old Rafael Nadal beat Jose Acasuso in the Sopot final and 15-year-old Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic took out Laura Granville in Vancouver.

The lefty Nadal claimed his first career ATP title and appears to be fully recovered from injury. At 18 years, 2 months, Nadal became the youngest player to claim an ATP title since Lleyton Hewitt did so at the same age in Delray Beach in '99.

The tall and imposing Vaidisova qualified for the event and defeated No. 5 Marissa Irvin, No. 2 Milagros Sequera, No. 3 Alina Jidkova and Granville in three sets. She became the first 15-year-old since Mirjana Lucic in 1997 to win a WTA title.

Vaidisova was just selected as both the WTT Pro League Female MVP and Female Rookie of the Year for her stellar play with the Sacramento Capitals. Vaidisova finished the season with a 66-36 record and a #1 ranking in women's singles (.647 pct.) and a win-loss record of 59-41. She'll playing for the playoff-bound Caps in NY, when the WTT holds in semis and finals in NYC. The question is, does she try to qualify for the US Open and the same time or skip it.

Sacramento Capitals

Nicole Vaidisova

Italian flavor of the week, the talented and fun Flavia Pennetta, won her first title in Sopot.

Jenkins, Kirkland Lead Jr. Super Nationals Winners
Two promising juniors earned wild cards into the US Open when Scoville Jenkins of Atlanta and Jessica Kirkland of Ohio captured the singles titles at the USTA Boys' and Girls' 18s Super National Hard Court Championships Sunday.

Jenkins, who will turn 18 on Aug. 23, became the first African-American to win the 18s in the event's 89-year history. He outlasted Scott Oudsema 7-5, 6-1, 6-3, in front of an overflow crowd of more than 3,000 fans at Kalamazoo College's Stowe Stadium. Jenkins is also the first pro to win the 18s, taking advantage of a new rule that took effect on Jan. 1 that allows pros to compete in USTA National Junior Championships for which they are age eligible. He turned pro in April.

Kirkland, 16, defeated 15-year-old Andrea Remynse of Battle Creek, Mich., 6-1, 6-3, in the singles final of the Girls' 18s at the Almaden Valley Athletic Club in San Jose. She did not lose a set in seven matches en route to her third USTA national title. Two Southern Californians, 14-year-old Alexa Glatch and Vania King, reached the semis.

Other results: Sam Querrey of Thousand Oaks, Calif., swept the singles and doubles titles at the USTA Boys' 16s. Chase Buchanan won the USTA Boys' 14s singles title a year after sweeping the singles and doubles titles at the 12s. In a match between two players from Plano, Texas (population 222,000), No. 1 seed Michael Vutam defeated No. 4 Ben Guthrie in the final at the 12s. Krista Damico of Parker, Colo., swept the singles and doubles titles at the 14s. She and doubles partner Asia Muhammad of Henderson, Nev., have combined to win the last four USTA National Girls' 14s doubles titles. No. 1 seed Connie Hsu of Cincinnati won the singles and doubles titles at the 12s a month after sweeping both events at the USTA Girls' 12s National Clay Courts.