'Survival mode' sees Djokovic through at steamy US Open

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Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic suffered in sweltering US Open conditions Tuesday but battled through to the second round with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory over Hungarian Marton Fucsovics.

Djokovic, playing his first match on Arthur Ashe Stadium since falling to Stan Wawrinka in the 2016 final, received a brutal welcome back to Flushing Meadows as soaring temperatures and high humidity prompted organizers to offer the men a ten-minute mid-match heat break for the first time ever.

Until late in the third it was "survival mode" said Djokovic, who endured a rocky start to the season after elbow surgery before breaking through for a 13th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

His Cincinnati Masters victory over Roger Federer stamped him a US Open favorite along with defending champion Rafael Nadal, despite his modest sixth seeding.

Roger Federer plays his first round at the 2018 US Open at Billie Jean National Tennis Center in New York City, NY, US, on August 28. /VCG Photo

Federer, the second seed, escaped the worst of the conditions as he headlined the night session on Ashe. Nor did he meet much resistance from Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory.

Federer, who claimed his 20th Grand slam title at the Australian Open in January, put the match away two games later, sealing it with a service winner.

"I didn't know how really good Nishioka was," Federer admitted of the 22-year-old, who was ranked 58th in the world last March before tearing a left knee ligament and sliding out of the top 150.

Fourth-seeded German Alexander Zverev kept his time in the sun to a minimum with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Canadian lucky loser Peter Polansky.

Women's second seed Caroline Wozniacki took the weather in stride, trying to "think cool thoughts" as she defeated 2011 champion Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-2.

In other women's matches, reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber, seeded fourth, defeated Russian Margarita Gasparyan 7-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova beat Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 6-1, 6-4 and 2017 runner-up Madison Keys downed France's Pauline Parmentier 6-4, 6-4.

Maria Sharapova in action during day two of the 2018 US Open at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, NY, US, on August 28. /VCG Photo

Russia's Maria Sharapova advanced 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) over Patty Schnyder, out of retirement and at 39 the oldest player to qualify for a Grand Slam main draw.

Sharapova led the second set 5-1 but didn't have a match point until the tiebreaker, finally securing the win over the determined Swiss on her fourth opportunity.

Source(s): AFP