Murray
It was a match in name only and the setting was a world away from the U.S. Open which started on Monday.
But Andy Murray cared not a jot as he notched his first singles win since returning from career-saving hip surgery.
The 32-year-old former world number one crushed teenage French novice Imran Sibille 6-0 6-1 to move into the second round of the Rafa Nadal Open Challenger tournament.
But he barely perspired on a sultry Mallorcan evening.
Murray, who had hip-resurfacing surgery in January, opted against competing at Flushing Meadows.
He dropped down to the ATP’s second-tier circuit for the first time since 2005 to continue his comeback.
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Federer
Roger Federer gave India’s Sumit Nagal a harsh introduction to Grand Slam tennis at the U. S. Open in New York on Monday.
This was however after the five-time champion weathered an early storm for a 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 win on to reach the tournament’s second round.
When the match began it was Federer who surprisingly looked intimidated under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights as he sprayed errors all around the court.
But the Swiss great woke from his slumber in time to turn the match resoundingly in his favor.
“I thought I played like my beard today, I was rusty,” Federer, who was sporting a few days worth of stubble, said in his on-court interview.
“I’m going to clean it up for my next match.”
World number 190 Nagal, who has never earned a tour-level victory and only qualified for the year’s final Grand Slam last week, came out swinging and even put a rare look of incredulity on the faces of those inside third seed Federer’s box.
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Novak Djokovic was feeling right at home on the Arthur Ashe Stadium hardcourt on Monday as he dispatched Roberto Caraballes Baena in three straight sets.
This may be bad news for anyone hoping to deny the defending champion from adding to his Grand Slam tally.
The top-seeded Serbian said the surface of the blue court during his 6-4 6-1 6-4 first round win over the Spaniard was very similar to last year when he picked up his third U.S. Open title.
“I didn’t notice any significant difference. It is cooler in terms of weather than it was last year,” said Djokovic, who has won four of the last five Grand Slam titles.
“I really like the conditions of the balls, the speed of the court, the weather is fantastic. You know, it’s just very enjoyable.”
Djokovic had never before faced Carballes Baena and spent the opening set figuring out his opponent before cruising home and into the second round where he will face another first-time opponent in Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero.
The 32-year-old Serbian, who has reached at least the semi-finals in every U.S. Open he has competed in since 2006, will obviously be a favourite in his next match but is not taking anything for granted.
“I have people, analysts in my team that are responsible for providing data and information and video and data analysis on every next opponent that I play against,” said Djokovic.
“I have to do my homework. I think it’s something that is so logical and so normal. You know, it’s part of, in a way, my job as well to get myself ready for what’s coming up.”
(Story from Reuters/NAN reports)
