Victorias de Djokovic y Nadal destacaron en la jornada de US Open
Djokovic necesitó 44 minutos para pasar a segunda ronda del US Open Federer iguala récord de triunfos de Agassi de Grand Slam
El serbio Novak Djokovic, primera raqueta del tenis mundial, debutó sin sobresaltos en el Abierto de Estados Unidos, en el que el español Rafael Nadal, defensor del título, sufrió como pocas veces esta temporada para avanzar a la segunda ronda.
Djokovic se impuso el martes al irlandés Conor Niland, procedente de la clasificación y 197 del ranking, por 6-0, 5-1 y abandono después de 44 minutos de juego por un malestar estomacal.
Por su parte, Nadal, número dos del mundo, se impuso al kazajo Andrei Golubev por 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) y 7-5 en dos horas y 49 minutos tras recuperarse de siete set points en el segundo parcial y de una desventaja de 5-2 con el saque de su rival en el tercero.
Su compatriota David Ferrer, quinto preclasificado, superó al ruso Igor Andreev por 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 y 6-4. Después de perder el primer set, el español se recuperó para quedarse con el partido tras dos horas y media, sacando ventaja de los más de 50 errores no forzados de su rival.
El francés Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, undécimo favorito, se deshizo sin mayores dificultades del taiwanés Lu Yen-Hsun por un triple 6-4. De esta manera, el francés regresó con éxito al torneo del que no pudo participar en 2010 por una lesión en su rodilla.
En cambio, el argentino David Nalbandian sufrió para avanzar a la segunda ronda. Nalbandian, 76 del ranking mundial, se impuso al estadounidense Bobby Reynolds por 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 y 6-3 y se enfrentará en el siguiente partido al croata Ivan Ljubicic.
Para el resto de los argentinos la suerte en su debut este martes fue dispar: Juan Chela y Carlos Berlocq siguen en carrera en Nueva York, mientras que Máximo González se despidió rápidamente del torneo.
Chela venció fácilmente al australiano Marinko Matosevic, quien se retiró cuando perdía 3-1. Berlocq se impuso al español Pere Riba por 7-5, 6-0 y 6-1, mientras que González cayó ante el suizo Stanislas Wawrinka por 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 y 6-3.
Por su parte el campeón de Los Angeles, el letón Ernests Gulbis, celebró su 23 cumpleaños derrotando al ruso Mikhail Youzhny, 16 sembrado, por 6-2, 6-4 y 6-4.
Defending Champion Rafael Nadal off to rocky start in US Open defence; all-conquering Novak Djokovic found the going even easier than expected …
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning against Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev.
Rafael Nadal got his US Open title defence off to a rocky start Tuesday, but found plenty to be pleased about after a tough straight-sets victory over 98th-ranked Andrey Golubev.
Nadal, who admitted being nervous on his return to the Arthur Ashe stadium where he completed a career Grand Slam last season, saved seven set points in the second set and came back from two breaks down in the third.
"It's a positive start, winning in straight sets -- even if it was unbelievable that I won straight sets," Nadal said.
He finally wrapped up victory after two hours and 49 minutes, taking a first step towards what many tennis fans hope will be a final with Serbia's Novak Djokovic.
Meanwhile Djokovic, who has seized the world number one ranking with two Grand Slam victories and nine titles overall this season, eased into the second round when qualifier Conor Niland retired from their match with food poisoning.
Djokovic led 6-0, 5-1 at the time, and in 44 minutes had fired an array of service winners and baseline bombs that showed his right shoulder, which forced him out of the final in Cincinnati this month, was no longer a problem.
"Today I didn't feel any pain... so I have no concern," said Djokovic, who improved to an incredible tally of 58-2 for the season and was happy to work a short shift.
"This year has been a very long year. So I really don't mind that I spend less time on the court," he said.
Nadal has lost all five of his matches against Djokovic this season, most recently in the final at Wimbledon.
While might have hoped for a more straightforward start, he said he was pleased with his attitude, even if he needed to improve a few aspects of his game.
"The mental part was positive tonight," Nadal said. "The tennis for sure can improve. I have to play a little bit more inside the court. But I am confident I can do it."
Golubev, serving for the second set at 5-3, took a 40-0 lead, only to see Nadal save five set points in that game and two more in the next.
Nadal edged ahead with a break for 6-5, giving himself a second break point in that game when he raced forward to scoop a Golubev drop shot over the net a fraction of an inch before it bounced a second time.
Golubev argued in vain -- and incorrectly -- that the ball had bounced twice.
Having taken the lead, Nadal dropped his own serve, and had to go to the tiebreaker -- in which he won the last six points.
Nadal had to battle back again in the third, falling behind two breaks before winning the last five games to seal the victory.
"I had a few good passing shots in important moments and to save set points in the second," Nadal said. "In the match point, I had a very good passing shot, too... I think I hit a good shots but not enough."
French Open champion Li Na was the biggest casualty of the day, the sixth-seeded Chinese stunned by Romanian teenager Simona Halep.
Halep, ranked 53 in the world, triumphed 6-2, 7-5 to hand Li her second straight Grand Slam disappointment -- after a second-round exit at Wimbledon.
"I really wanted to do well after Roland Garros," said Li, who has struggled since becoming the first Grand Slam champion from Asia. "But it's not easy to do. Now I lose all the confidence on the court."
Li's exit left the women's field without all three of this year's Grand Slam champions.
Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters, winner of the last two US Opens, is absent with a stomach muscle injury. Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova lost on Monday.
Their absences have left the women's draw wide open, and top contenders Caroline Wozniacki and Serena Williams wasted no time moving on.
World number one and top seed Wozniacki defeated 125th-ranked Nuria Llagostera Vives of Spain 6-3, 6-1.
Williams, seeded 28th after her near year-long layoff, took less than an hour to dispatch 54th-ranked Serbian Bojana Jovanovski 6-1, 6-1.
While Williams is trying to claim a 14th Grand Slam title -- and her first since Wimbledon 2010 -- Wozniacki is trying to earn a first.
Fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus also advanced with ease, beating Sweden's Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-3.
Azarenka drew the short straw among the top women's seeds when she was put on a path to a possible third-round clash with Williams, who returned to tennis in June and has won two titles in her first four tournaments.
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