Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal win at the US Open

Roger Federer, the World No 1 seed, produced a workmanlike performance to beat German Simon Greul last night in the US Open at Flushing Meadows to continue his steady progress in the tournament. It was Federer's 36th straight win at the grand slam, a record that stretches back to 2003.

The Swiss player won in three sets - 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 - and in less than two hours, although the 28-year-old Greul caused a few alarms when he had two set points against the tournament favourite in the second set. Federer goes on to face Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, who won the US Open in 2001 but who is unlikely to halt Federer.

Meanwhile Rafael Nadal, the former World Number 1 who has slipped two places in the rankings as a result of injury and a run of good performances from Andy Murray, was in imperious form as he dispatched Richard Gasquet of France 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in one of the last of the first round games.

Nadal had missed Wimbledon as a result of tendonitis, and while the Spaniard still looked a little short of his best form, his return should be a concern for the two men above him. The 23-year-old is only this tournament away from completing a grand slam of Wimbledon, and the Australian, France and US Opens, but his next round opponent Nicolas Kiefer of Germany will be a sterner test of how much he has recovered.

Lone British hope Andy Murray will return to action on Friday, when he takes on Chile's Paul Capdeville. The draw for the young Scot has opened up as a result of defeats for Ivo Karlovic and Stanislas Wawrinka, so the 22-year-old will want to remain focussed on his own chances of winning a first grand slam tournament rather than think about who his potential semi-final opponent might be. ·