Serena, Federer win in rain-hit US Open
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2019 07:57:38 +0000
NEW YORK (AFP) – Serena Williams nearly crashed out of the rain-hit US Open on Wednesday while top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic battled through shoulder pain and Roger Federer advanced despite a weak start.
US eighth seed Serena Williams, seeking her 24th career Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court’s all-time record, got a scare before ousting 17-year-old US wildcard Caty McNally, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
SERENA Williams
McNally, who hadn’t been born when Williams won her first Slam at the 1999 US Open, threatened a struggling Williams from the start before the six-time US Open champion won nine of the last 11 games to escape under the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic, winner of four of the past five Slam titles and 16 in all, was treated for a sore left shoulder throughout his 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 victory over Argentina’s 56th-ranked Juan Ignacio Londero.
Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam winner who last won the US Open in 2008, rallied to beat 99th-ranked Bosnian Damir Dzumhur 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
The 38-year-old Swiss third seed, who also dropped the first set against Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal in his opener, answered the wake-up call despite 17 first-set unforced errors.
Djokovic’s injury casts grave doubts on his bid to be the first US Open repeat winner since Federer won from 2004-2008, admitting he wondered if he would even get through the first set.
Japanese seventh seed Kei Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runner-up, beat 108th-ranked American Bradley Klahn 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
French Open champion Ashleigh Barty, the second seed from Australia, eliminated 73rd-ranked American Lauren Davis 6-2, 7-6 (7/2).
Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova, seeking her first Grand Slam title, ousted 202nd-ranked Georgian qualifier Mariam Bolkvadze 6-1, 6-4.
Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina defeated seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 and US 10th seed Madison Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, trounced China’s Zhu Lin 6-4, 6-1.