* Murray dazzles in first-round win
* Azarenka taken to hospital with concussion
* Berdych stumbles at first hurdle
(Adds Clijsters wins)
By Julian Linden
NEW YORK, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Andy Murray sent an ominous
warning to Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal about his intentions to
win the U.S. Open when he cruised through his first match at
Flushing Meadows on Wednesday after Victoria Azarenka sent a
shiver through the tennis world when she fainted on court.
Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams, both two-time champions,
also dazzled their opponents and the packed Arthur Ashe Stadium
crowds but it was an early morning tumble on one of the outside
courts that sent pulses racing at the year's last grand slam.
Azarenka, in a black dress and playing when temperatures
were at their hottest, was rushed to hospital after collapsing
in a heap at the baseline during her second round match against
Argentina's Gisela Dulko. [ID:nN01132476]
The Belarussian had succumbed to scorching heat at last
year's Australian Open and there were fears she had been a
victim of the extreme temperatures that had forced U.S. Open
organisers to invoke their rarely used Extreme Weather Policy.
She later revealed that she had been diagnosed with a mild
concussion and her frightening crumble was a delayed reaction
to a fall suffered earlier in the gym while warming up.
"I was checked by the medical team before I went on court
and they were courtside for monitoring," she said.
"I felt worse as the match went on, having a headache and
feeling dizzy. I also started having trouble seeing and felt
weak before I fell."
Murray showed why he is regarded as a serious contender to
capture the men's title as he crushed Slovakia's Lukas Lacko
6-3 6-2 6-2.
The perennial hope of British tennis, Murray succeeded in
escaping the worst of the roasting heat by racing to victory in
under two hours.
"I managed to get through in straight sets so I'm pleased,
but it was a lot tougher than the score suggests," the
fourth-seeded Scotsman said.
"Everyone in my (supporters) box always tells me it's a lot
tougher watching in the heat than playing but I'm not so sure.
It was brutal conditions."
Although the weather was slightly cooler than the previous
day, it was still hot enough to leave players drenched in sweat
and calling for ice packs to drape around their necks at the
change of ends.
BEAT THE HEAT
New York's hottest summer in decades has spilled on to the
courts at Flushing Meadows and contributed to a high dropout
rate among the seeds.
Another seven seeds made early exits on Day Three, giving
the main contenders with extra incentive to kill of their
opponents quickly.
Clijsters, who charmed the crowds last year with her infant
daughter watching from the stands, showed no mercy in her match
against Australian teenage qualifier Sally Peers, who grew up
with a photo of the Belgian on her bedroom wall.
"I'm just trying every match to grow so I'm ready when the
opponents get tougher," Clijsters said after thumping her
inexperienced opponent 6-2 6-1 in less than an hour.
Williams had no room for sentiment either as she romped to
a comfortable 7-6 6-3 victory over Canada's Rebecca Marino, who
gave the third seed a brief scare in the opening set before
succumbing to the American's power.
Williams is only playing singles this year after her sister
and regular doubles partner Serena pulled out with an injury
and said she was loving the lighter workload.
"So far I feel good. I made a quick turnaround this summer
to try to get ready for the Open," she said.
"I'm glad that I'm just in the singles. That way I have the
opportunity to recover between rounds and to get ready to play
the next one."
Italy's French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and
Australia's Samantha Stosur, the woman she beat in the Paris
final, both advanced to the third round in straight sets while
the most notable casualty was the men's Wimbledon finalist
Tomas Berdych.
The Czech stumbled at the first hurdle, outclassed 7-6 6-4
6-4 by France's Michael Llodra, who is better known as a
doubles specialist.
"I don't know whether I played well or not today," Berdych
said. "I need to sit down with my coach who saw the match from
the stands."
(Editing by Frank Pingue; To query or comment on this story
email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)