World number one Novak Djokovic began his pursuit of an 18th Grand Slam title with a straight-set win over Damir Dzumhur in the US Open first round.
Djokovic eased through to the second round with a facile win
New York:
The Serb, 33, raced through the opening set before being tested in the second on his way to a 6-1 6-4 6-1 win. Djokovic is seeking to capitalise on the absence of fellow greats Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in New York. Among those likely to challenge him are Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, who also won their openers.
Both of those players are chasing a maiden Grand Slam title, with Spain’s defending champion Nadal not playing because of coronavirus concerns and Swiss 20-time major champion Federer missing following knee surgery.
Djokovic will play Kyle Edmund in the second round after the British number two came from behind to beat Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik. In the women’s section, fourth seed Naomi Osaka overcame a scare to beat fellow Japanese player Misaki Doi in three sets and avoid a major shock.
Osaka, who won the first of her two Grand Slams at Flushing Meadows in 2018, wobbled in the second set before recovering for a 6-2 5-7 6-2 victory.
Elsewhere, teenager Coco Gauff’s hopes of another Grand Slam run were ended by 31st seed Anastasija Sevastova.
A second-set resurgence looked to put Gauff on track for victory against the Latvian but she lost 6-3 5-7 6-4.
RESULTS:
MEN: Novak Djokovic def. Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-4, 6-1; Stefano Tsitsipas def. Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-2, 6-1, 6-1; Denis Shapovalov def. Sebastian Korda 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Borna Coric def. Pablo Andujar 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.
WOMEN: Karolina Pliskova def. Anhelina Kalinina 6-4, 6-0; Naomi Osaka def. Misaki Doi 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; Petra Kvitova def. Irina-Camelia Kalinina 6-3, 6-2;