Rafael Nadal and Angelique Kerber shrugged off sweltering temperatures to reach the US Open second round while defending champion Novak Djokovic overcame an arm injury scare as the US Open showcased its $650 million upgrade on Monday.
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Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic opened the defense of his US Open title with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 win over Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz on Monday, but the labored performance gave rise to fresh concerns about the world number one’s fitness.
Vesely beat Djokovic 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 on clay in Monte Carlo in April.
French Open victor Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain took three sets to beat Belgian Elise Mertens.
Djokovic had admitted that he was “not 100 per cent” after suffering a wrist injury on the eve of the Olympics where he was a first round loser.
The 29-year-old needed treatment after just five games of the first set but eventually pulled through against Janowicz who had played just two matches all year due to a knee injury.
After withdrawing early from the French Open and ruling himself out of Wimbledon due to a wrist problem, the Spaniard had come to Flushing Meadows under an injury cloud.
Until recently it would have been hard to imagine a fitter and stronger player in tennis than Novak Djokovic, but the world No1’s physical condition was again called into question here last night on the first day of the US Open.
More drama, too: A first-round loss by Rio Olympics gold medalist Monica Puig, and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza’s complaints about having trouble breathing after dropping the first set of a match she would go on to win in three.
After re-injuring his surgically-repaired knee at Wimbledon, Federer chose to skip the remainder of the season, missing the chance to compete at Wimbledon and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Rogers was a surprise quarterfinalist at the French Open this year.
“To be honest, I take it day by day”, said Djokovic, who is seeking to win his 13th career major, one shy of Nadal and Pete Sampras’ 14 and four behind Federer’s all-time mark of 17.
Vesely said: ‘Monday’s match didn’t help the arm.
“There is no doubt that every tournament is missing him”. “You play a bad match on Friday, all of a sudden today’s win feels a long way’s away”.
“I stopped looking at the world rankings when I dropped out of the top 10”, said Wozniacki when asked how she kept her spirits up during her recent slump. I’m pleased that as the match progressed I was feeling better and better.
Djokovic will now face Jiri Vesely in round two after the Czech won a marathon five-set match against India’s Saketh Myneni.
The American world No.120 blunted the Raonic serve throughout the match, winning seven of 18 break points as the Canadian struggled with his game, his body and the intense heat in NY.
The 31-year-old Israeli, ranked No. 80 in the world, battled back from two sets down to force a decider, but required treatment on his right hand at the start of the fifth set and was beaten 6-3, 6-2, 0-6, 5-7, 6-3 after three hours and two minutes.
Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic overcame German dangerman Dustin Brown 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.
Muguruza carved out a gritty 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 win over Belgian qualifier Elise Mertens, ranked at 137.
The 89th-ranked Allertova improved to 7-1 in first-round matches in majors, making her second main-draw appearance at the Open.
Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska and Romania’s No. 5 Simona Halep are also in action, against American Jessica Pegula and Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens respectively.
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Vesely had been expected to provide a tough test for Djokovic in the third match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
