DAY TWO QUOTES

'I have no sponsor so I just want to put my country on my shirt. I buy the shirts and my mum puts the flags on them.'

Marcos Baghdatis explains why his kit is covered in Cypriot flags.

'My dream never died and never went away. I was just waiting for an opportunity and now I have it.'

Mirjana Lucic, a rising star in the 1990s and playing her first US Open since 2003, revels in her return to the big time.

'It was like a sleeping-with-my-girlfriend kind of feeling.'

Novak Djokovic explains just how pleased how was some early evening shadows started to cover Arthur Ashe Stadium from the blazing sunshine.

'My first tournament in my life that I've played, it was under-10, I won my first round and then I played him second round. He destroyed me.'

And Djokovic recalls his first meeting with Viktor Troicki.

'The pressure is there against players who do not have much to lose and who play crazy, but I thought I played well.'

Rafael Nadal is happy enough despite a thorough workout from Teymuraz Gabashvili in round one.

'I try not to think too much about her age. It gets into your head. I have a lot of respect for her coming back. But I hope I will be home (at 40).'

Svetlana Kuznetsova does not plan to follow in the footsteps of her veteran opponent Kimiko Date Krumm, who turns 40 in September.

'Sometimes, I look across the court and say, 'That looks like my daughter.' But I'm still on my feet.'

Date Krumm is enjoying her unique perspective on the game.

'It was so hot. I felt good in the first set. The second set, I felt like I died. The energy just faded.'

China's Li Na was another affected by the heat – worse than most by the sounds of it.

'What can I say? I was really heavy on court, I wasn't feeling very fit.'

Marcos Baghdatis, the 16th seed, on losing in five sets to veteran Frenchman Arnaud Clement.

'It was so hot. I felt good in the first set. The second set, I felt like I died. The energy just faded.'

La Ni on the heat at Flushing Meadows 'I only play with Serena Williams.'

Venus Williams on whether she would be playing doubles despite the absence of her sister

'I've had a really, really c**p day. Hope yours has been better.'

Anne Keothavong after first-round exit
'Lately I have been watching a lot of messages telling me to cut my hair! What u guys think! I should do it? Or not?'

Fernando Verdasco on his hair dilemma