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The 24-year-old Australian looked in top form as he opened his campaign in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Hewitt hit eight aces and 23 winners on his way to a 6-1 6-2 6-1 victory and he faces Jose Acasuso next.

"It was extremely difficult conditions - you want to get back into the locker room as quickly as possible," he said.

Hewitt pulled out of the Montreal Masters in early August with a stomach ailment but is not concerned by a lack of matches.

"I couldn't have played less than I played before Wimbledon, and as soon as I got in the big matches I knew what to do," he said.

It's not like I've got too much pride to play challengers Mark Philippoussis

"The bigger the points got, the better I played. Hopefully that's going to be the same here."

Mark Philippoussis, who got the wild card that might have gone to Britain's Andy Murray, went down 6-4 6-2 7-5 to Karol Kucera.

But the Australian insisted he will not throw in the towel as he recovers from yet another injury - a ligament problem in his right leg.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get back and be where I want to be," said the 28-year-old. "It's not like I've got too much pride to play challengers. It's ridiculous. If I have to do that, then I have to do that."

American Taylor Dent, seeded 25th, beat Lars Burgsmuller 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-4.

"You've got to make do and try to handle whatever anybody throws at you," said Dent. "I just consider it a victory getting out there and toughing it out and coming through with the win."

David Ferrer of Spain, the 17th seed, battled to a 4-6 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 6-1 win over Argentina's Agustin Calleri.

Nicolas Massu became the first man into round three when he had a walkover after 23rd seed Jiri Novak withdrew with an ankle injury.

And Kenneth Carlsen picked up the dubious honour of the most first-round defeats at Grand Slam tournaments with a 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 6-4 defeat to Spain's Nicolas Almagro.