"Every match I play these days seems to have a rain delay. I felt as if I was stiffening up and had to keep moving, drink fluids and try to stretch although my body didn't seem to agree with that. I didn't know if I would cramp up when we got back on court and that is why I was pleased to finish it quickly.
"I have been in a battle but I don't think there will be a problem with recovery. I am stiff but I will have a good practice and massage tomorrow and I don't envisage any lingering problems. My stomach didn't feel very good and I was getting a bit dehydrated.
"I don't know if I ate too much this morning but I wasn't feeling my best. I was telling myself I was feeling better than him but I couldn't kid myself."
British No 3 Martin Lee put up a fight before falling to 24th seed Sjeng Schalken, of Holland, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6 in a late night first round clash also delayed by the rain. Lee said: "I fought all the way through."
Second seed Andre Agassi beat fellow-American Mike Bryan 6-4, 6-1, 6-0 while Australia's former double US Open champion Pat Rafter, the sixth seed, and the defending champion and third seed from Russia, Marat Safin, both won.
"It would be a miracle if I was to win it again because my form has been a joke," admitted Safin after he beat Sebastien de Chaunac of France.
Rafter was also worried by the weather as he risks dehydration in long matches because he sweats profusely. He was happy to finish off his first-round opponent, Bob Bryan - the twin brother of Mike - in just over two hours. "To get out of it in straight sets was a relief," Rafter said. "It was very hot and humid."
