The second-seeded Nadal had been in New York on vacation with his parents and visited the World Trade Center five months before Sept. 11, 2001. That memory draws the 20-year-old standout to the former World Trade Center site each year.

"I was (there) two days ago," Nadal said Wednesday, after he won his first-round match 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 over Mark Philippoussis, the 1998 Open runner-up. "The big hole is still there.

"I always remember when I was in the last floor of the tower. (I) remember the benches in front of the window. I was sitting for half an hour."

Aside from paying his respects by going to ground zero, being in New York for Nadal is all about improving his luck at the U.S. Open.

The talented and charismatic Spaniard, who successfully defended his French Open title in June, has played at the U.S. Open the past three years. His best previous result here came last year when he lost to James Blake in the third round. He lost in the second round on his first two visits to Flushing Meadows.

Nadal got off to a good start against Philippoussis. His serve was never broken and he finished with 10 unforced errors to 35 for the Australian.

"I just want to play good this tournament," said Nadal, who has won four of his 17 career titles on hard courts. "I don't know if the result is second round, third round, fourth round, quarterfinal, final, but I want to play good so I have a chance."

Top-seeded Roger Federer, the reigning two-time U.S. Open champion, breezed past No. 109 Wang Yeu-tzuoo 6-4, 6-1, 6-0 in his opening match.

Nadal and Federer squared off against each other in the last two Grand Slams played, marking the first time in the Open Era that the same two men have met for the French Open and Wimbledon title in the same year.

Since the Open Era of tennis began in 1968, there's never been a time when three Grand Slams in the same calendar year featured the same two finalists.

Federer said it's way too early to anticipate another Grand Slam championship encounter between the two.

"I'm more concerned about my path, trying to make it there," said Federer, who won a third consecutive Wimbledon title in July, and is in the hunt for a ninth career Grand Slam title here.

"I think the draws for both of us are pretty good. I don't think of playing him right now, not at all, because it's just too long of a road."