Djokovic beats scare, Nadal eases at revamped US Open

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns against Jerzy
Janowicz of Poland during their 2016 US Open
2016 Men’s Singles match at the USTA Billie Jean
King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2016 in
New York. / AFP PHOTO / Don EMMERT
Defending champion Novak Djokovic overcame
an arm injury scare and long-time rival Rafael
Nadal shone in 33-degree heat as the US Open
showcased its $650 million upgrade on Monday.
World number one Djokovic, also the 2011
winner in New York and chasing his third major
of the year, defeated Jerzy Janowicz of Poland
6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion and seeded
to face Djokovic in the semi-finals, eased to a
6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Denis Istomin of
Uzbekistan.

In the women’s event, second seeded Angelique
Kerber, the Australian Open champion, needed
just 33 minutes to progress but Roland Garros
winner Garbine Muguruza required three sets
and a visit from the doctor before she survived.
Djokovic had admitted that he was “not 100
percent” after suffering a wrist injury on the eve
of the Olympics where he was a first-round
loser.
But it was the upper right arm that bothered the
Serb on Monday night as he played his first
Grand Slam match since his shock third round
exit at Wimbledon.
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.
“It was hard to follow Phil Collins,” joked
Djokovic in reference to the lengthy opening
ceremony which featured the veteran English
rocker under the new $150 million roof on
Arthur Ashe Stadium.
On his arm injury, Djokovic added: “It’s never
easy to play at this level throughout the year.
There are periods where you aren’t 100
percent.”
Djokovic next faces Jiri Vesely, the Czech who
knocked him out of Monte Carlo this year.
Nadal’s reward for a fifth win in five meetings
with Istomin is a match-up with Italian veteran
Andreas Seppi.
A wrist injury forced the Spaniard into an early
retirement at the French Open and sidelined him
from Wimbledon before a gold medal run in the
doubles at the Olympics helped ease his misery.
“The most important thing is that I am here in
New York. Injuries are part of the career. I had
a hard time this year,” said the fourth seed.
Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic, the runner-up
to Andy Murray at Wimbledon, overcame
German dangerman Dustin Brown 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.
Kerber needed just over 30 minutes to get her
pursuit of a first US Open title off to a winning
start.
The German was leading Polona Hercog 6-0,
1-0 when the Slovenian called it quits having
won just nine points.
Kerber, a semi-finalist in 2011, next faces
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia.
Muguruza carved out a gritty 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 win
over Belgian qualifier Elise Mertens, ranked at
137.
But the French Open champion needed
courtside treatment from a doctor after dropping
the first set.
– Doctor’s orders –
The consultation certainly worked as she reeled
off the next seven games to lay the foundation
for her win.
Muguruza plays Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia
for a place in the last 32.
French 13th seed Richard Gasquet, a semi-
finalist three years ago, was the day’s biggest
casualty.
He went down to 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 to British world
number 84 Kyle Edmund.
Also exiting was Olympic champion Monica Puig
with the Puerto Rican losing 6-4, 6-2 to China’s
Zheng Saisai.
Kayla Day, just 16 and ranked at a lowly 374 in
the world, was 6-2, 4-2 up on Madison Brengle
when her fellow American quit with an injury.
Day next faces American eighth seed Madison
Keys who beat compatriot Alison Riske 4-6, 7-6
(7/5), 6-2 in a tie which ended at 1.48am, the
latest finish to a women’s match in tournament
history.
Croatian seventh seed Marin Cilic, the 2014
champion and winner in Cincinnati last week,
eased past Brazil’s Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-4, 7-5,
6-1.
Flamboyant French 10th seed Gael Monfils took
his summer hardcourt record to 15-2 with a 6-4,
6-2, 7-6 win over Gilles Muller of Luxemburg.

Monfils almost suffered a freak accident when a
giant courtside clock fell towards him as he
collided with the back wall, chasing down a
Muller shot.
The Flushing Meadows complex has been
radically and expensively remodelled for this
year.
However, the old Grandstand court, due to be
demolished after the tournament, was pressed
into action after the new Court 10 was deemed
unplayable.