New York, Sep 1: If the last-name chorus of “Ruuuuuune!” in support of his relatively unknown teenage opponent at the US Open bothered Novak Djokovic, he never let anyone know.
Nor was there any visible evidence that Djokovic was shaken by the shaky patches he went through while dropping a set Tuesday night as he began his historic bid to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969 and collect a record-breaking 21st major singles championship.
Djokovic was not perfect – “It wasn’t the best of my performances,” he acknowledged – but he didn’t need to be.
All he needed to do was win, and he did, just as he’s done every time he’s played a Grand Slam match this season, whether on the hard courts of the Australian Open, the red clay of the French Open, the grass of Wimbledon or, now, the first of what he hopes will be seven times on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows.
Quickly regaining control after a second-set blip, then wearing down his cramping foe, Djokovic beat Danish qualifier Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune 6-1 6-7 (5) 6-2 6-1 to reach the second round.
Djokovic next faces Tallon Griekspoor, a 25-year-old from Netherlands ranked 121st who got into the field when Roger Federer pulled out.
World No. 1, Ashleigh Barty of Australia, extended her winning streak to six with a 6-1, 7-6(7) defeat of Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the first round of the US Open in one hour and 28 minutes.
Fresh off the Cincinnati title and seeking her second Grand Slam trophy of the year after Wimbledon, Barty was flawless against the 2010 finalist in the first set, but needed to battle hard and save one set point to eke out a win in the second.
Zvonareva, bidding for her fifth career win against a reigning world No.1 and first since beating Caroline Wozniacki at the 2011 WTA Finals, did not get going until the fag end of the first set.
“I think when my back was against the wall late in that buster, I came up with some really good stuff. That’s all we can ask is when your back is against the wall, you trust yourself, you go out there and pick your spots and hit them,” added Barty.
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev of Germany extended his winning streak to 12 matches as he moved past American Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the second round at the US Open here.
Also, Iga Swiatek, the No.7 seed from Poland, got her US Open campaign off to a flying start with a 6-3, 6-4 win over American qualifier Jamie Loeb, in an hour and 14 minutes on Tuesday evening match on the Grandstand court.
Rising British teen Emma Raducanu and Olympic champion Belinda Bencic also won their first-round encounters with relative ease.
Raducanu dispatched lucky loser Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland, 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 18 minutes.
Olympic gold medallist and No.11 seed Bencic claimed an opening-round win over Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands, 6-4, 6-4. “I felt very comfortable on the court,” Bencic said after her win.
Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round after her second-round opponent withdrew for medical reasons. The defending champion was set to play Olga Danilovic of Serbia in the first match of the day in Arthur Ashe Stadium. (Agencies)
