NEW YORK -- This is what it's like to be 18-year-old, hat-backwards Andy Roddick, a white-hot rocket in full-blown ascent:

Jessica Simpson, the comely musical diva, recently gave him her telephone number. They're doing an MTV show together next month and might wind up attending an awards show together. The sky, as the saying goes, is the limit.

This is pretty much the consensus for Roddick in the game of tennis. Sensing this, the United States Tennis Association placed Roddick's first-round match on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. It took a while, but Roddick eventually disposed of Slava Dosedel, an earnest counter-puncher from the Czech Republic who spent the night trying to run around his backhand Tuesday.

Roddick -- who calmed his jittery nerves before the match by listening to mellow, late reggae master Bob Marley -- prevailed 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.

"It felt great," he said after the match, still breathing hard. "It's my home Slam and I want to do well."

What about the pressure on the heir apparent to Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi?

"I get asked that question a lot," he said. "I don't think of my age as a crutch to be unpoised."

Roddick, the No. 18 player in the world, now focuses his attention on U.S. qualifier Jack Brasington, who awaits in the second round. The sum of Roddick's previous U.S. Open experience was last year's first-round loss to Albert Costa, so this was clearly an improvement.

This is what it's like to be brown-eyes-burning-with-intensity Andy Roddick:

After a strangely docile start, he finally showed some emotion in the match's eighth game. Six deuce points, one serious groan and a thrown racket later, Roddick lost the marathon game when he hit an impatient forehand long. He fumed for a moment or so and then cracked off four -- count them, four -- straight aces to take a 5-4 lead. After squandering an amazing eight break points, Roddick converted the ninth by forcing the action at net and rattling Dosedel to the point that he double-faulted on set point.

Leading 2-1 in the second set, Roddick unleashed a running forehand cross-court passing shot that left Dosedel muttering to himself. A spectacular backhand cross-court pass led to the break and the consolidation of the match.

In truth, Dosedel looked like the beleaguered 31-year-old journeyman he has become. He had lost seven of his previous eight matches and this was, amazingly, his 12th first-round loss in 16 tournaments this year.

Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.