Lleyton Hewitt came through a sticky start to beat mercurial Moroccan Hicham Arazi 7-6 6-1 6-2 in the second round of the US Open.
The Australian fourth seed, winner in 2001, won after withstanding some early brilliance from the free-flowing Arazi, who squandered two chances to win the first-set tiebreak.
Hewitt received a warning for unsportsmanlike behaviour after a slashing a ball away in anger in the opening set as he struggled to find his range.
But having got his nose ahead, Hewitt broke the deflated Arazi's first two service games in the second set to love to take firm control of the match.
Meanwhile, comeback kid Tommy Haas upset 12th seed Sebastien Grosjean to move into the third round. The German former world number two, who missed the whole of last season after shoulder surgery, came through 6-4 6-4 1-6 6-1in two hours 40 minutes.
Haas, the world number 45, returned to competition in February this year and has gradually climbed the rankings, recently defeating Andre Agassi on his way to claiming the title in Los Angeles.
A single service break was enough for Haas to take the first set and he broke twice in the second before a brief Grosjean resurgence threatened to turn the match around.
Haas rediscovered his serving prowess in the fourth set, however, as Grosjean's resistance crumbled.
The Frenchman, who has reached semi-finals of three of the four grand slams, continues his miserable record at Flushing Meadows where his best showing was the third round in 2000.