Top doubles seeds out at U.S. Open

Maria Elena Camerin of Italy, who used her inside-out forehand to give Serena Williams a spirited second round match earlier this week, joined Gisela Dulko in taking out the number one seeds in doubles today

Cara Black and Liezel Huber went out in the second round today, defeated by Maria Elena Camerin and Gisela Dulko, 1-6, 7-6, 6-2. The unseeded team will probably face Corina Morariu and Meghann Shaughnessy, unless there is another upset. Morariu played doubles with Patty Schnyder for some time after she lost her long-time doubles partner, Lindsay Davenport, but Schnyder has been playing with doubles specialist Janette Husarova lately. Dulko was playing with Flavia Pennetta, but has been playing with Camerin lately.

Hantuchova says goodbye

Julia Vakulenko of Ukraine defeated 9th-seeded Daniela Hantuchova today in the first round of the U.S. Open

I knew that an in-form Julia Vakulenko could take out Daniela Hantuchova, but since her excellent performance at Wimbledon (almost taking out Svetlana Kuznetsova), Vakulenko--perhaps hampered by a pre-Wimbledon ankle injury--has been off her game. But, as I wrote a few days ago, if she were to get back into form, she could escort Hantuchova out of the U.S. Open, and she did: 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.