Roddick roars past Santoro to end first round

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former world number one Andy Roddick roared past grand slam veteran Fabrice Santoro of France 6-2 6-2 6-2 on Wednesday to complete the men's first round at the U.S. Open.

Roddick, the 2003 Open champion, lost just two points on his booming service as he raced through the opening set in 25 minutes and never looked back in booking a second-round match against up-and-coming teenager Ernests Gulbis of Latvia.

The 35-year-old Santoro, who extended his men's record by playing in his 65th grand slam, had beaten Roddick in their last meeting on the indoor carpet in Lyon in 2007.

The eighth-seeded Roddick blasted 41 winners past the overmatched Frenchman, including 15 aces. The American lost just four points on his first serve the entire match.

"I felt good. That's the best I've felt in four, five months," Roddick, 25, said in a courtside interview.

"Something about this place always gets me energised."

(Reporting by Larry Fine, Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)