US Open 2018: Novak Djokovic beats Marton Fucsovic to reach second round

Novak Djokovic struggled in the New York humidity before recovering to beat Hungary's Marton Fucsovics in the US Open first round at Flushing Meadows.

Djokovic, aiming for a 14th Grand Slam title, eventually won 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-0.

The Serb looked unsteady on his feet and asked for a sick bucket to be put next to his chair in the second set.

Fucsovics also started to fade and, after the players took a 10-minute heat break, Djokovic raced to the fourth set to reach the second round.

"I was praying that I got to feel better because I wasn't feeling great for most of the first three sets," said the sixth seed.

"I want to thank US Open for allowing us to have a 10-minute break after the third set. We both needed it."

In his on-court interview, Djokovic joked about how he and Fucsovics spent the 10-minute break between the third and fourth sets.

"We both had ice baths and we were both naked in ice baths next to each other. It was quite a magnificent feeling," he said.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Djokovic, who won the men's title at Flushing Meadows in 2011 and 2015, will meet American Tennys Sandgren in the second round.

Roger Federer, who plays Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in Tuesday's night session, is a possible quarter-final opponent for Djokovic.

Djokovic locks into 'survival mode'

Humidity has been an issue for the players in the opening two days at Flushing Meadows, where temperatures have climbed over 32C (90F).

Four players were forced to retire from their matches on Tuesday, with USTA managing director Chris Widmaier saying two of them were "certainly heat-related" withdrawals.

"We obviously both struggled. You could see that. Towards the end of the third we started to play a bit better, at least from my side.

"Before that it was survival mode, really."

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