Novak Djokovic outclassed Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 on Monday to start turning his recent hard-court luck with a first-round win at the US Open.
The world number one began reversing the fragile form which resulted in only two hard-court match wins after his Wimbledon title victory in early July.
Djokovic has played the last four New York finals, winning the 2011 title. Schwartzmann was playing only his second grand slam and first hard-court event at the Tour level.
The Serb improved to 46-8 as he plays as top seed for third time in four years.
Third seed Stan Wawrinka started by beating Czech Jiri Vesely 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3) and number five seed Milos Raonic, a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) winner over Japan’s Taro Daniel.
Former champion Andy Murray fought through painful cramping to squeeze out a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 7-5 win on Monday over Robin Haase to limp into the second round.
Murray, the 2012 New York winner, lost nine games in a row out to 0-3 in the fourth round as his fitness deteriorated against his Dutch opponent.
The eighth seed said he was taken by surprise at his physical predicament, especially after what he felt was excellent preparation.
I started cramping in my forearm. It was not comfortable. I tried to hang around as best I could, and I got through
“I started cramping in my forearm. It was not comfortable. I tried to hang around as best I could, and I got through,” he said.
Murray finished with more than 50 unforced errors in three hours.
Ninth-seeded Toronto champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga opened with a win over Juan Monaco 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1, while Spanish 16th seed Tommy Robredo beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
In the women’s draw, second seed Simona Halep had to win a battle with wild card Danielle Rose Collins 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-2. The American upstart had only played 27 pro matches and just one at the elite level.
French Open finalist Halep admitted that she was taken by surprise by a 20-year-old opponent without a current ranking.
“The first round is really difficult,” the Romanian said. “Today was a big challenge, because I played the first match of this tournament on centre court. I started a little bit nervous, but it’s normal. And she played really well.”
Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska crushed Sharon Fichman 6-1, 6-0 as the Canadian played for the first time after arthroscopic knee surgery just under a month ago.
2006 champion and fifth seed Maria Sharapova won the final 10 games in defeating long-time fellow Russian rival Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 6-0, who was treated for a left ankle injury trailing 3-0 in the second set.
The fiery Sharapova cleaned up her game from 15 unforced errors in the opening set to just three. She now stands 17-0 in New York Ashe court night matches.
German sixth seed Angelique Kerber put out Ksenia Pervak 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, while Jelena Jankovic, seeded ninth, defeated fellow Serb Bojana Jovanovski 6-2, 6-3.
Caroline Wozniacki, seeded 10th, advanced as New Haven finalist Magdalena Rybarikova advanced 6-1, 3-6, 2-0 retired. Italian 13th seed Sara Errani beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 7-5; Czech 14th seed Lucie Safarova reached the second round over Timea Babos 6-4, 7-5.
