Flipkens crushed by Venus  Venus Williams gave a signal of
intent by thrashing 12th seed Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2 in the
first round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.  The two-time
champion went into the clash as an outsider having suffered
through two years of illness and injury problems.  The 33-year-
old had won just one match since April and had been beaten by
Wimbledon semi-finalist Flipkens at the Rogers Cup recently.
But Williams was firmly on top this time against her Belgian
opponent as she claimed her first win over a top-20 player since
last October.  Elsewhere, Agnieszka Radwanska began her campaign
with a straightforward 6-1 6-2 victory over Silvia Soler-
Espinosa.  The third-seeded Pole needed just an hour and two
minutes to see off her Spanish opponent, whose serve she broke a
total of five times.  Soler-Espinosa has never been beyond the
third round of a grand slam and proved no match for the former
Wimbledon finalist on Arthur Ashe Stadium.  No 15 seed and big
home hope Sloane Stephens was g