Federer, Sharapova continue bids

Former champions Lleyton Hewitt [ Images ], Venus Williams [ Images ] and Serena Williams [ Images ] are also in action, while Belgian fourth seed Kim Clijsters [ Images ], the favourite for the women's title, meets Ai Sugiyama [ Images ] of Japan [ Images ] for a place in the last 32.

World number one and defending champion Federer, who is bidding to win his sixth grand slam title, meets the wily Fabrice Santoro [ Images ].

Federer has won six of their eight previous meetings and dropped just four games in beating the Frenchman in the first round at the Australian Open [ Images ] in January.

Australian Hewitt, the 2001 champion, meets Jose Acasuso of Argentina, while sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko [ Images ] of Russia [ Images ] and David Nalbandian [ Images ], the 11th seed from Argentina, are also in action.

Russian Sharapova, who has never been past the third round in New York, meets Julia Schruff of Germany [ Images ], and Serena Williams, the Australian Open champion and eighth seed, takes on Italian Francesca Schiavone, the 25th seed.

Wimbledon [ Images ] champion Venus Williams kicks off the night session when she faces Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova [ Images ], the 20th seed, having won all seven of their previous meetings.

- US Open 2005: Complete coverage