Marin Cilic, 2014 US Open champion, came to NY following his first Masters 1000 crown in Cincinnati, and he made a nice start with a 6-4 7-5 6-1 triumph against Rogerio Dutra Silva.
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Nadal, meanwhile, is also battling the effects of a left wrist problem which forced a mid-tournament withdrawal from the French Open and sidelined him until the Olympics where he was a gold medal victor in the men’s doubles.
World number two Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion who can dethrone six-time US Open victor Williams as world number one in NY, opens against Polona Hercog of Slovenia. Injuries are part of the career. “It’s hard to put up a show after Phil Collins”, said Djokovic in the on-court interview following his win.
The German was leading Polona Hercog 6-0, 1-0 when the Slovenian called it quits having won just 9 points.
It was a good day for the seeds, with Gasquet (13th seed) and Martin Klizan (28th) the only losers.
French Open victor Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain took three sets to beat Belgian Elise Mertens.
But the French Open champion needed courtside treatment from a doctor after dropping the first set.
Johanna Konta made light work of Bethanie Mattek-Sands in her first round game as she progressed to the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 straight sets victory.
Muguruza plays Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia for a place in the last 32.
Elsewhere on Monday, John Isner won an epic all-American clash with the talented 18-year-old Frances Tiafoe. But Sock broke Fritz’s serve again to clinch a 7-6 (3), 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 6-4 win in 3 hours, 21 minutes.
The men’s tennis World No 1 not only defeated Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, but also created a cheerful moment following the match at Flushing Meadows.
Monfils nearly suffered a freak accident when a giant courtside clock fell towards him as he collided with the back wall, chasing down a Muller shot. “It’s good, as I said, just to finish the match”, he said.
Also comprehensively beaten was Klizan, who went down to Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-2 6-1 6-1.
Novak Djokovic dismissed fears of serious injury after winning the opening match of his title defense at the US Open.
Nadal, a twice champion here, already has a memento from this trip to Flushing Meadows – a video recording of him hitting at Arthur Ashe Stadium under the new retractable roof.
The new Grandstand court was the scene of what will for be one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament, and it happened between the two Americans, to make the crowd even happier!
It’s rare that Novak Djokovic enters any tournament under a cloud, let alone a grand slam, but that is the exact situation at the US Open, as he takes on Jerzy Janowicz in the first round.
World number one Djokovic, the 2011 and 2015 champion, admits he is “not 100%” after suffering a wrist injury on the eve of the Olympic Games.
Serena Williams and 2012 champion Andy Murray will get underway on Tuesday.
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Williams is chasing a record seventh US Open and will equal Steffi Graf’s record of 186 successive weeks at world number one.
