Nadal, Djokovic, Sharapova Win Tough First Round Matches

Nadal, Djokovic, Sharapova win tough first round matches

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal began his campaign on Tuesday in the US Open with a straight-set win over Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili.

Nadal was stretched to two tie-breakers in the first and the second sets, but won the third rather easily, to clinch the game, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3. The match lasted 177 minutes and Nadal looked to be stretched in the first couple of sets. Nadal admitted that it was a tough match, and that he needed to work on his serve. Nadal also said, “It’s not my best shot, but I always work hard at improving it. If I am to have chances to win here one day, I need to serve well”

Nadal is an eight-time Grand Slam champions, but has never won the US Open before. His best standing in this tournament is a semi-finals berth that he had achieved in both, 2008 and 2009.

In another match, Novak Djokovic overcame Viktor Troicki, also from Serbia in a tough five-setter. Djokovic won the match 6-3 3-6 2-6 7-5 6-3 and will play Philipp Petzschner in the second round.

Djokovic, like Nadal has been the losing semi-finalists in both the previous appearances in the US Open, and has yet to win the tournament. Speaking of the conditions, Djokovic said, “I have played in such conditions earlier as well. Such long matches always make you feel exhausted in the end. It is absolutely not easy at all. One has to stay really strong to eventually succeed in such situations”.

In other games, Marcos Baghdatis was sent packing by Arnaud Clement, in a five-set match, 6-3 2-6 1-6 6-4 7-5 at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, while Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic also went through to the second round. Both the ladies were stretched to three sets but fought well to win their opening games.