Nadal maneuvers out of danger

NEW YORK -- There was Rafael Nadal, the second-best player in the world, in danger of falling into a hole dug by an expert.

Alun Jones, indeed, handled a shovel on his father’s construction project, digging holes at dams at home in Australia for a three-month spell more than 2 1/2 years ago.

He wasn’t half-bad with a racket either for nearly three sets against an ailing Nadal on Wednesday at the U.S. Open. The 123rd-ranked player and bit player in the 2004 movie “Wimbledon” was up a break in the third set before self-destructing on his serve in the eighth game, losing it at love.

And so Nadal scampered out of trouble, winning, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the first round in 2 hours 45 minutes.

For those salivating at the thought of Roger Federer-Nadal, Part III, the 2007 Grand Slam version, the sight of a gimpy Nadal hobbled by an inflamed left knee tendon, certainly gives pause.

In fact, Nadal, who injured the knee three days ago practicing with Carlos Moya, said “Maybe if I’m in another tournament, I never go to the court today.”

It was clear that this was Nadal-lite. He lacked his usual spirit, shanked more forehands than he probably does in an entire tournament and seemed to be playing on mute.

“I don’t think he was at 100%,” Jones said. “Only heard the grunt a few times.”

Said Nadal: “You saw the match. I didn’t run too much, no. I can’t move too much. But I spoke with the coach before going on the court. Just try to move less as possible and try to win.”

It said something about Nadal’s guts and Jones’ inexperience -- he has never beaten a player ranked in the top 100 -- that Nadal will play another day, or night. The wild-card entrant was on the verge of going up two sets to one, having broken Nadal to go up 4-3 in the third.

Then came an especially cruel service game. Jones opened it by botching a high forehand volley and followed with three more errors.

Still, the 27-year-old who only got into the event by virtue of a reciprocal arrangement between the U.S. Open and Australian Open was hardly downcast. His stint of construction work came when he left the sport for about a year. If he hadn’t come back, his tennis legacy would have been playing quarterfinal victim Tom Cavendish in “Wimbledon.”

His colleagues on the tour sometimes tease him, calling him Tom.

“That came out a few years ago now, so it’s dying off, thank God,” he said.

Nadal’s injury and escape was the key story line on the third day. Earlier, sisters Venus and Serena Williams came close to identical statistics in some categories in second-round victories

Venus, seeded 12th, defeated Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania, 6-4, 6-2, hitting 24 winners and committing 20 unforced errors. No. 8 Serena beat Maria Elena Camerin of Italy, 7-5, 6-2, and had 25 winners and 19 unforced errors.

The top-seeded players on both sides advanced easily. Justine Henin of Belgium won, 6-4, 6-0, in 68 minutes, and Federer, aiming for his fourth straight U.S. Open title, beat Paul Capdeville of Chile, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. Both were second-round matches.

Tim Henman’s 49th and final Grand Slam event was extended when he beat Dmitry Tursunov of Russia, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the first round.

The highest-seeded player to lose was Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, who has suffered through a difficult second half of 2007. Unheralded Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia defeated No. 7 Gonzalez, 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 5-7, 6-4, also in the first round.

Other American winners included Robby Ginepri, Mardy Fish, wild card Ahsha Rolle and big-serving and wild card John Isner, who beat qualifier Rick De Voest of South Africa, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in the second round. In the tiebreak, Isner hit serves of 135, 138, 139 and 135 mph .

He will next play Federer and joked in his on-court interview: “I don’t know much about the guy. I’ve heard he’s good.”

Rolle, of Miami, looked like the most-exuberant winner. She beat Karin Knapp of Italy, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the second round and talked about how she missed her first match point because of over-thinking.

“I was thinking about what I was going to do when I won. ‘Was I going to fall? Was I going to jump in the air?’ ” Rolle said. “I was thinking about way too many things.”

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lisa.dillman@latimes.com