Not much spark in Andy Roddick's win

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NEW YORK -- The U.S. Open's nighttime crowds are notoriously bawdy and boisterous. But Wednesday night, more than 20,000 spectators sitting just miles from the City That Never Sleeps snoozed through most of the opening match.

Eventually, Andy Roddick walked off the Arthur Ashe court a winner, but there wasn't any electricity, hardly a spark. Roddick beat 33-year-old Michael Russell 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 but played some sloppy service games and seemed flat-footed, happy to backpedal and generally uninspired.

Russell is a tremendous scrapper, but to be candid, he's won only six of his 29 career Grand Slam matches. The only other time they had met, nine years ago, Russell got only three games. Here, he extended Roddick to a contest that stretched interminably over 2 hours, 57 minutes.

"Mike's one of my favorite players," Roddick said afterward. "He gets the most out of his ability every time he plays. He's all heart and hustle."

Late in the third set, Roddick lined up an easy overhead and smashed it long. He shrugged and went back to serve. When it was over, Roddick looked grim and shook his head. It was that kind of night.

Roddick once had the game's biggest serve and a formidable forehand. Today the serve remains a formidable weapon, but the forehand has been surpassed by a number of players, maybe dozens. His backhand is merely average. The elite players take the ball earlier than Roddick, but he hasn't made the adjustment and it costs him time -- and, most importantly, space on the court.

Roddick's second-round opponent is eerily familiar. Wild-card Jack Sock is the reigning U.S. Open boys junior champion.

"I know he's full of piss and vinegar, and he's from Nebraska," Roddick said, smiling at last. "He sounds a little like an 18-year-old I knew once upon a time. I'm excited."

Four-time U.S. Open champion John McEnroe was asked what Roddick was looking for at this point in his career.

"Wanting respect," McEnroe said. "He would I think going out thinking I can win another major. Which is what they're always asking him."

Yes, it's been eight years since Roddick won his first and only Grand Slam, right here. He recently dropped outside the top 20 for the first time in a decade.

He turned 29 on Tuesday and, after Wednesday's listless match, the question will persist.

The Red Rocket: Three years ago, he suffered a potential career-ending wrist injury. He surfaced as a teaching pro for two years on Long Island. He was 1-10 in Grand Slam matches for his career, but suddenly he's won three of four matches in majors.

Yes, the saga of red-headed Alex Bogomolov Jr. continues to amaze. The 28-year-old, born in Moscow, Russia and now a U.S. citizen living in Miami, Fla., is on a tear. After reaching the third round at Wimbledon, he's into the second here at the U.S. Open following a dramatic comeback from two sets down.

[+] Enlarge

Patrick McDermott/Getty ImagesAmazing what a little self-belief can do for you. Just ask Alex Bogomolov Jr.

Bogomolov defeated Steve Johnson 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-3 in a match that required 3 hours, 40 minutes. The funny thing? Bogomolov and Johnson -- the reigning NCAA singles champion -- played doubles together two weeks ago in Cincinnati and have become friends.

"It wasn't so much that I was playing my buddy," Bogomolov said. "I was down two sets to love at the Open. I've had a great summer; I've had a great year. To go down first round would have been devastating because we have higher goals.

How did he do it?

"It was just tough, tough to get a positive thought in there somehow," Bogomolov said. "But I think the only reason why I won was because I started thinking positive and believing that a comeback is possible."

Bogomolov, who is ranked a career-high No. 44 among ATP World Tour Players, won for the first time in six tries at the national tennis center.

Local girls make (really, really) good: She's only 19, but Christina McHale isn't awed by the major stage.

After beating world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki two weeks ago, McHale followed up with a firm 7-6 (2), 6-2 win Wednesday over No. 8-seed Marion Bartoli.

"I think they're different wins," said McHale, who is commuting from her childhood home. "I never made it past the second round of a Grand Slam before."

McHale, from nearby Englewood Cliffs, N.J., created 16 break-point opportunities and converted five. She'll see No. 25 seed Maria Kirilenko next.

Meanwhile, Irina Falconi, who went to middle school in Harlem, stunned No. 14 seed Dominika Cibulkova 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Falconi, 21, now a resident of Jupiter, Fla., has put together the first two major victories of her career.

Wild about New York: Last year, Jack Sock ate out 18 straight nights at Chipotle, and won the U.S. Open junior boys title. This year, now that he's in the main draw, there will not be a return to the Mexican food chain.

Sock, who at 18 is the second-youngest player in the draw, defeated Frenchman Marc Gicquel (at 34, the oldest in the draw) by the score of 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.

Robby Ginepri, also a wild card, beat qualifier Joao Souza in four sets. Ginepri, a 2005 semifinalist here, was playing his first major match since undergoing elbow surgery a year ago.

John Isner prevailed in four sets over Marcois Baghdatis in a 3-hour, 12-minute match. His next opponent? Ginepri, of course.

Bryans bounced: That thud you just heard was Bob and Mike Bryan crashing out of the U.S. Open -- in the first round. The team of Ivo Karlovic and Frank Moser stunned the California twins 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

It was the earliest major exit for the Bryans in a decade after they had won three of the past four Grand Slam doubles titles. Earlier this year at Wimbledon they tied the all-time Open era record of 11.

Other American losers: Madison Keys (lost to Lucie Safarova), Ryan Sweeting (lost to Denis Istomin) and Coco Vandeweghe (lost to Samantha Stosur).

Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

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Greg Garber

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Greg Garber joined ESPN in 1991 and provides reports for NFL Countdown and SportsCenter. He is also a regular contributor to Outside the Lines and a senior writer for ESPN.com.