U.S Open tennis
NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The grand slam stage became a poorer place yesterday when Marat Safin walked out of the Flushing Meadows for the last time with a final wave to his adoring fans.

Never again will spectators at the four majors capture a glimpse of the brilliance or entertaining antics of Safin after the 2000 champion bowed out of the U.S. Open in the first round following a 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 defeat by Austrian Jurgen Melzer.

While the Russian, who will be retiring at the end of the season, quietly made his way towards the exit, Venus Williams skipped into round three with a 6-4 6-2 win over fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Safin and Mattek-Sands may see their names go up under the ‘loser’ banner Wednesday but at least they were spared the fate of India’s Sania Mirza, who was on the receiving end of a dreaded 6-0 6-0 drubbing by Italian 10th seed Flavia Pennetta.

With over a billion Indians following her every move on the tour, Mirza can expect her performance against Pennetta to be analysed to the nth degree back home but the 22-year-old offered no excuses.

“I wasn’t thinking, ‘I’m playing such horrible tennis.’ She had an answer for everything. That’s something you just have to deal with and move on,” Mirza said following the 50-minute, second-round blowout under sunny skies at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“If she plays like that, she’s going to win the Open.”

Former world number one and 17th seed Amelie Mauresmo was also left red faced when she was thumped 6-4 6-0 by Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak.

For Safin, however, there will be no more chances to add to his two grand slam crowns.

In a topsy-turvy career spanning 12 years, Safin’s mantra has always been to expect the unexpected.

Whether winning a title in grand style, smashing rackets by the truckload or dropping his shorts on court after conjuring a spectacular winner, the one thing Safin can never be accused of is being boring.

Asked to sum up his abiding memory of Flushing Meadows, he quipped: “Here first few days it’s like a zoo. It’s like a million people running around, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, so many people. That’s pretty much annoying.”

Safin might have been eager to escape the zoo but fellow 29-year-old Williams was determined to prowl around Flushing Meadows for a few more days.

Less than 48 hours after coming within three points of defeat, Venus and her heavily strapped left knee enjoyed an easier workout against Mattek-Sands.

“I was moving pretty good and I try not to focus on my body and put that out of my thoughts,” said Williams, the 2000 and 2001 champion.

Williams’s knees will not be the only ones under scrutiny Wednesday as Rafael Nadal steps out for his first grand slam match in more than three months against Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

The last time Nadal competed at a major, his four-year French Open reign was ended in the fourth round at Roland Garros and then his season went into freefall as tendinitis in both knees forced him out of Wimbledon.