NEW YORK: Former world number one Marat Safin's Grand Slam tennis career came to an end on Wednesday with a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Austrian Jurgen Melzer in the first round of the US Open.

Safin, who won the 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open, announced at the start of the year that this would be his final season in the sport.

The 29-year-old Russian, ranked 20 spots below his rival at 58th, finished with 15 titles, the last of them his major at Melbourne, and a 12-year career record of 419-268.

Safin, who fired 15 aces in his farewell match, had lost three of four prior meetings with Melzer, who will face the later winner between Argentine foes Juan Monaco and sixth seed Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round.

Giving the Flushing Meadows faithful at Louis Armstrong Stadium one final jawing session with an umpire, Safin complained his raised arm was not a call for review but happy to take the point when the first-set call went his way.

Safin won the first set in 27 minutes but could not manage a break chance in the second, which he surrendered by netting a backhand for the lone break in the last game. Melzer broke in the sixth game of the third set and served out.

The telling point came at 2-2 in the fourth set on Safin's serve. He struggled to reach two returns, twice lunging in vain, then hit a forehand long.

Safin then woke up the echos with two aces but a second-serve was blasted back for an uncontested winner to surrender the break, Safin staring at the ball long after it had passed him by.

Melzer held serve three more times to end matters after two hours 13 minutes. The crowde stood and applauded in tribute while Safin grabbed his bag, waved his right hand in the air and walked off the court for the final time.