Novak Djokovic battled an arm injury, but the world number one and Rafael Nadal were among the winners in the US Open first round. He flexed that right arm, the one he has used to wield a racket on the way to 12 Grand Slam titles, and appeared generally unhappy, covering his head with a white towel at changeovers.
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World number one Novak Djokovic insists his arm is “all good” despite needing treatment during his first-round win over Jerzy Janowicz at the US Open. “So hopefully as the tournament progresses, I’ll reach my peak”.
With Djokovic holding for 3-2 in the opening set, the Serbian called for a physio to massage his elbow.
“I thought I did well to bounce back”, Djokovic said.
“It’s good, as I said, just to finish the match”. In the early goings of the match he was all over me and was the better player hands down. “I hope that I’ll feel good overall, so I’m able to perform at my best for the next match”.
Joining Nadal and Djokovic in the second round are crowd favourites Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils, with the two Frenchmen winning their matches in straight sets as well.
Hampered by knee and lower back injuries for the first half of the season, Janowicz came into the match at No.247 in the men’s singles rankings and looking to reach the second round in NY for the first time since 2014.
Djokovic’s wife Jelena was notably prominent in the players” box after her husband had confirmed last week that his “private issue’ had been resolved. The Spaniard will face Italy’s Andreas Seppi in the next round.
The last American man to win a Grand Slam title was Andy Roddick at the 2003 US Open. Nadal, of course, is a lefty who relies on that wing for his heavy topspin forehand that is among the best strokes in the game. The 25-year-old Pole showed flashes of his old self with some big hitting off his forehand but the rust was obvious as he struggled for consistency.
“It’s not easy to go two months and a half out of competition in the middle of the season without hitting a forehand”.
US teenager Frances Tiafoe came tantalizingly close to a stunning US Open upset, only to be denied by compatriot and five-set master John Isner.
“I need to have the confidence again with my wrist”. He entered the day 0-4 against the two-time U.S. Open champion, having dropped 10 of the 11 sets they’d played.
Nadal’s summation of his day: “Not very good; not very bad”. So I think even without him, it’s a very strong field.
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Former US Open champion Marin Cilic began his campaign with a 6-4 7-5 6-1 victory over Rogerio Dutra Silva of Brazil on Monday.
