Nadal visits ground zero

New York:

For Rafael Nadal, playing at the US Open also presents an opportunity to make an annual visit to ground zero. The second-seeded Nadal had been in New York on vacation with his parents and visited the World Trade Center five months before September 11, 2001. That memory draws the 20-year-old standout to the former World Trade Center site each year. "I was (there) two days ago," Nadal said Wednesday, after he won his first-round match 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 over Mark Philippoussis, the 1998 Open runner-up. "The big hole is still there. "I always remember when I was in the last floor of the tower. (I) remember the benches in front of the window. I was sitting for half an hour." Aside from paying his respects by going to ground zero, being in New York for Nadal is all about improving his luck at the US Open. The talented and charismatic Spaniard, who successfully defended his French Open title in June, has played at the US Open the past three years. His best previous result here came last year when he lost to James Blake in the third round. He lost in the second round on his first two visits to Flushing Meadows. Nadal got off to a good start against Philippoussis. His serve was never broken and he finished with 10 unforced errors to 35 for the Australian. "I just want to play good this tournament," said Nadal, who has won four of his 17 career titles on hard courts. "I don't know if the result is second round, third round, fourth round, quarterfinal, final, but I want to play good so I have a chance." (AP)