Nadal, Kerber lead US Open 1st round winners

September 2, 2016 8:55 am Published by

Rafael Nadal and Angelique Kerber advance to 2nd round of US Open

Rafael Nadal and Angelique Kerber fought off the scorching heat to advance to the second round of the 136th US Open on Monday.

Spanish ace Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 men’s champion, padded his first round record in the event to 12-0 after taming Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Next up for No. 4 seed Nadal is Italian veteran Andreas Seppi.

Kerber of Germany started her bid on a speedy note, needing just over 30 minutes to reach the second round.

The reigning Australian Open champion was up 6-0, 1-0 over Polona Hercog when the Slovenian quit due leg cramps. The 120th ranked Hercog called for a lengthy medical timeout after five games of the opening set with a doctor and trainer called and was not able to continue playing.

Kerber, who next battles Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia, is aiming to dethrone Serena Williams as world No. 1 by the end of the tournament.

Defending men’s champion and top seed Novak Djokovic was still playing 48th-ranked Jerzy Janowicz of Poland as of presstime.

Upset also rocked the start of the netfest at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City when  French 13th seed Richard Gasquet, a semi-finalist three years ago, was shocked 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 by British world No. 84 Kyle Edmund.

In women’s play, China’s Zheng Sasai surprised Rio Olympics gold medallist Monica Puig of Puerto Rico 6-4, 6-2.

In another men’s match, 20th seed John Isner rose back from the throes of defeat to outlast 18-year-old fellow American Frances Tiafoe, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3), while Croatian 7th seed Marin Cilic, the 2014 champion, eased past Brazil’s Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-4, 7-5, 6-1.

Joining Kerber as early first-day winners in the women’s singles are Spanish third-seed Garbine Muguruza, who turned back Belgian qualifier Elise Mertens 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who downed Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-3, and two-time US Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki, who clipped US qualifier Taylor Townsend 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Defending men’s champion and top seed Novak Djokovic was still playing 48th-ranked Jerzy Janowicz of Poland as of presstime.

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