World No.1 Novak Djokovic got his US Open tennis title defence off to a winning start with a topsy-turvy four-set triumph over Jerzy Janowicz, while Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal cruised to victory in his first round match over Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin
New York: World No.1 Novak Djokovic got his US Open tennis title defence off to a winning start with a topsy-turvy four-set triumph over Jerzy Janowicz at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, while Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal cruised to victory in his first round match over Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin.
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Top seed Djokovic prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 to keep his bid for 10 straight semi-finals or better at the Flushing Meadows intact.
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 New York for the first time since 2014.
With Djokovic holding for 3-2 in the opening set, the Serbian called for a physio to massage his elbow.
He went on to break for 4-2 and survived two break points when serving for the set, reeling off four straight points to take it when Janowicz pushed long.
Asked about his fitness and why he called the physio, Djokovic said after the match: "Hopefully as the tournament progresses, I'll reach my peak. It was just prevention. It's all good."
"It wasn't easy today playing against Jerzy for the first time," Djokovic said.
"He's a very potent player - powerful serve, big forehands. He's unpredictable really."
"Play well as he did in the second set and he makes a couple of double faults in a row in the important moments. It's really up and down. That's why it wasn't easy to keep the concentration."
The Spaniard, meanwhile, dominated in the match-up against Istomin, vanquishing him in three straight sets 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 here on Monday.
Nadal was assured and focused throughout the 126 minute match, consistently placing his shots well.
The Spaniard will next go up against Italy's Andreas Seppi, who won his first match against French player Stephane Robert 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Nadal's compatriot Garbine Muguruza, ranked No.3 in the women's competition, lost her first set against Belgian 21-year-old newcomer Elise Mertens, but came back in the next two sets 6-0 and 6-3 to take the match.
Muguruza will next play Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova, ranked No.48, who defeated Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 and 6-3.
The tourney has more than $36 million in prize money up for grabs and is being played on hard courts at the remodelled Arthur Ashe complex, which now has a retractable roof and cost $150 million to reconfigure.
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