Rafael Nadal of Spain shakes hands with Ryan Harrison of the United States after their first round men's singles match on Day One of the 2013 US Open. PHOTO: AFP
US Open favourite Rafael Nadal said his nerves helped him in his win as he and the other tournament favourite Serena Williams, with 28 grand slam titles between them, cruised into the second round of the US Open.
However, 17-time major champion Roger Federer experienced a different fortune with his match being thwarted by rain.
Nadal cruised to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over America’s Ryan Harrison to record a 16th win on hard-courts this year.
“It’s a special emotion to be back in New York,” said Nadal. “It’s a special atmosphere. I was nervous before the start, but I hope to have these nerves again in the future if it means I win.”
Defending women’s champion Serena, a four-time winner, needed just an hour to see off Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone, 6-0, 6-1.
The top seed fired 13 winners and broke the former French Open champion six times on her way to a second round match-up against Kazakhstan’s Galina Voskoboeva.
“I’m really excited,” said Serena. “I knew playing a former Grand Slam champion the first round was a tough draw so I just tried to be super serious.”
Mix fortunes experienced in other matches
There were no such problems, however, for Spanish fourth-seed David Ferrer, a semi-finalist in 2007 and 2012, who defeated teenage Australian qualifier Nick Kyrgios, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 and will next play compatriot Roberto Bautista.
British qualifier Daniel Evans, the world number 179, stunned Japanese 11th-seed Kei Nishikori, in the day’s biggest shock, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. Fernando Verdasco, the 27th-ranked Spaniard, was beaten by Croatia’s Ivan Dodig 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3.
Polish women’s third-seed Agnieszka Radwanska eased past Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-1, 6-2, while Chinese fifth-seed Li Na also reached the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Olga Govortsova of Belarus.
Laura Robson, the first British woman to be seeded at a major after 26 years, won nine games in succession to beat Spanish veteran Lourdes Dominguez Lino, 7-5, 6-0.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2013.
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