Djokovic, Sharapova sparkle to cap toiling day at US Open
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FORMER champions Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova sparkled under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights to end a steamy first day that proved more than a little stressful for several of the US Open favorites on Monday.
Djokovic, who had won only two matches in the hardcourt run-up to the season’s final grand slam after getting married just days after his Wimbledon triumph, was back to his best once the center court spotlight shone on him at Flushing Meadows.
The 2011 champion treated his first-round match against unseeded 22-year-old Argentine Diego Schwartzman like a breezy workout, dominating in all phases with 24 winners, including seven aces, in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 rout.
His fast work followed a scintillating finish by French Open champion and 2006 winner Sharapova, as the fifth seed won 10 straight games to prevail 6-4, 6-0 after falling 2-4 behind against her Russian compatriot and old friend Maria Kirilenko.
Despite the night program starting one hour later than scheduled due to ceremonies featuring bands, speeches and fireworks, Djokovic enabled the New York night crowd to head to the exits shortly before the stroke of midnight.
“I’m very pleased,” the Serbian world No. 1 said in a courtside interview after his 97-minute win. “It’s never easy to start a US Open smoothly.”
Several of the favorites could attest to his opinion.
Eighth-seeded 2012 champion Andy Murray fought off cramps to beat Dutchman Robin Haase in four painful sets, 6-3, 7-6 (6), 1-6, 7-5, while women's second seed Simona Halep lost an early tiebreak to US debutante Danielle Collins before claiming a 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-2 victory.
And in an intriguing match-up of 19th seed Venus Williams and Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan, the oldest players in the women’s draw, some pesky bees joined in and refused to leave them alone.
First the 43-year-old Japanese player and later 34-year-old Williams dipped, ducked and danced away before ballgirls helped usher the stubborn swarm away from the baseline. When finally left to play tennis, Williams stung her opponent 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
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