Anderson off to solid start

New York - South Africa's Kevin Anderson on Wednesday reached the second round of the US Open after defeating Germany's Daniel Brands 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The South African No 1 will next face Marcos Baghdatis from Cyprus in the second round on Friday.

Baghdatis defeated Japan's Go Soeda 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 in his first round match.

Meanwhile, South Africa's top women's player, Channelle Scheepers, is in action on Thursday against former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki.

Scheepers advanced to the next round after beating compatriot Chanel Simmonds 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round.

US Open results on Wednesday (x denotes seeded player):

Men's singles

First round

Alex Bogomolov (RUS) bt Benoit Paire (FRA x24) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/5)

Tim Smyczek (USA) bt James Duckworth (AUS) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1

Marcel Granollers (ESP) bt Jurgen Zopp (EST) 6-1, 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

Rajeev Ram (USA) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x16) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2

Aleksandr Dolgopolov (UKR) bt David Goffin (BEL) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4

Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x21) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)

Evgeny Donskoy (RUS) bt Jurgen Melzer (AUT x29) 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3)

Peter Gojowczyk (GER) bt Igor Sijsling (NED) 7-6 (9/7), 2-6, 6-4, 6-1

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) bt Brian Baker (USA) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

Juan Martn Del Potro (ARG x6) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 7-6 (9/7)

Andy Murray (GBR x3) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 6-2, 6-4, 6-3

Leonardo Mayer (ARG) bt Victor Hanescu (ROM) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4)

Andreas Seppi (ITA x20) bt Xavier Malisse (BEL) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5

Somdev Devvarman (IND) bt Luks Lacko (SVK) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4

Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x9) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-2

Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt James Blake (USA) 6-7 (2/7), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/2)

Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) bt Go Soeda (JPN) 6-4, 6-3, 6-1

Kevin Anderson (RSA x17) bt Daniel Brands (GER) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Women's singles

Second round

Jamie Hampton (USA x23) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 7-5, 6-4

Sloane Stephens (USA x15) bt Urszula Radwanska (POL) 6-1, 6-1

Zheng Jie (CHN) bt Venus Williams (USA) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5)

Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x18) bt Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 6-3, 6-4

Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x3) bt Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) 6-0, 7-5

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x32) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6-4, 6-0

Laura Robson (GBR x30) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)

Li Na (CHN x5) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 6-2, 6-2