Handing out the grades after U.S. Open's first week

	Andre Agassi (left) and Marcos Baghdatis played the signature match of Week 1. Al Bello/Getty Images
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NEW YORK -- Ever hear the one about the guy who went to a retirement ceremony and a Grand Slam tennis tournament broke out? Well, we're halfway through the Andre Open and the guest of honor still hasn't left the party. In fact, few of the A-listers have.

Herewith, our midterm grades. All marks based on the I-feel-pretty Belle curve.

A

Andre Agassi: At least during Week 1, he was Gladys Knight; the other 255 players were the Pips.

Billie Jean King: The National Tennis Center's eponym was in fine form last week. Great ceremony. Great speech. Great decision.

The contenders: The cream rose. Most of the top guns survived without much sweating.

Marcos Baghdatis: Played the role of the foil in the Agassi epic, but are there any doubts that a) he acquitted himself with an abundance of charm and class and b) he'll get his moment in the sun one day soon? (While we're at it, Andrei Pavel deserves a tip of the cap too.)

Lindsay Davenport: A week ago she wasn't able to raise her arm above her head. Now, a second U.S. Open title is a realistic possibility.

College tennis: Six current or former NCAA players reached the second round.

A-

Instant replay: Generally a success and it only added to the intrigue of Agassi-Baghdatis. But some nagging questions remain. Among them: Is it fair that it's being used on only two courts? And, as Mary Carillo notes, why limit the challenges? If a shot is out, it's out. And a bad call shouldn't stand just because a player didn't ration his chits judiciously.

B

Wild cards: Lots of flops, but nice to see Serena Williams back in the mix.

Switzerland: Martina Hingis went out with a whimper and mercurial Patty Schnyder is on the ropes as I write this. But three men -- Stanislas Wawrinka, Marco Cuidinelli and some guy named Federer -- are doing the cantons proud.

Bethanie Mattek wore this getup in her first-round loss to Daniela Hantuchova. AP

Daniela Hantuchova: Gagged -- sorry, there's really no other way to put it -- against Serena. But as Cassiel Vellary of Ben Lomond, Calif., noted, she deserves credit for not having a full-out aneurysm when she got her first glimpse of Bethanie Mattek's outfit in the first round.

Donald Young: Still hasn't won a main draw pro match but his first set against Novak Djokovic -- a future top tenner -- offered a glimpse of Young's potential.

C

Ivan Ljubicic: World No. 3 has been complaining about his low profile. But a first-round, straight-sets loss in a Slam isn't going to boost the Q rating.

Guillermo Coria: Poor guy can't catch a break. A top five player not that long ago, Slick Willie finally gets his shoulder healed but slips on the court five games into his first-round match and has to retire.

Mother Nature: She owes us for Week 2.

Injury-o-rama: With all the talk of cortisone and inflammation and bulging discs and strains, sprains and automobiles, you'd think playing tennis was akin to working in the mines. If half as much attention were paid to reducing injuries as is devoted to scheduling commitments and per diems and sponsor patch size, we'd all be better off.

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