US Open at a glance – Day one: Headlines
+ Serena crushes Sharapova inside an hour
+ Djokovic improves to 14-0 in first round
+ Federer shaky against Indian rookie
+ Barty overcomes Diyas scare
+ Unconvincing Pliskova struggles through
Top results
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) 6-4, 6-1, 6-4
Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Sumit Nagal (IND) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4
Serena Williams (USA x8) bt Maria Sharapova (RUS) 6-1, 6-1
Ashleigh Barty (AUS x2) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x3) bt Tereza Martincova (CZE) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3)
Sidelines Venus ties Martina
— Venus Williams, 39, matched Martina Navratilova for the most US Open appearances in the Open era with her 21st participation at the tournament. She reached the final on her debut in 1997 and won back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2001.
Fognini cut down to size
— 11th seed Fabio Fognini was the biggest casualty on the men’s side as the combustible Italian succumbed to towering American Riley Opelka, who stands at 6ft 11in (2.11m), in four sets.
Barty goes one better
— It has been a year to savor for French Open champion Ashleigh Barty, whose 15 Grand Slam victories in 2019 are one more than she had achieved in all previous campaigns combined.
Generation game
Lucky loser Paolo Lorenzi, 37, used all his experience to outlast 16-year-old US wildcard Zachary Svajda in five sets. The 21-year age gap between the two players was the largest at a major since Ken Rosewall, 44, faced Cary Stansbury, 20, in the opening round of the 1978 Australian Open.
HAVE YOU SEEN!?? Serena On Banned Umpire Ramos: ‘I Don’t Know Who That Is’
Kerber’s rotten run continues
— One of eight former US Open champions in action on day one, Angelique Kerber crashed out prematurely once more following early exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The German 14th seed, who won the title in 2016, was beaten in three sets by France’s Kristina Mladenovic.
Who’s saying what
“I’m not a big fan of subways. We have also in Czech, but I never really use. There can be strange people. Yeah, nothing against, but I don’t just like.”
— Karolina Pliskova admits the New York City subway is not her preferred mode of transport
“You want an honest opinion? Well, it doesn’t resemble her at all. Sorry to say that. I would have passed her any day and not know who it was. Sorry, but maybe I said the wrong thing. But that’s how I see it.”
— Althea Gibson’s former doubles partner Angela Buxton offers a frank opinion about the statue unveiled to honour the sport’s first black Grand Slam champion
“I’m a person that lives in fast-forward. Walking frustrates me. I have to run or — I’m not a walker. I cannot. So, yeah, I’m not someone who is going to walk around the city and be pumped about it.”
— Venus Williams, for whom it was full speed ahead in a 66-minute demolition of China’s Zheng Saisai
“Yeah, I don’t know who that is.”
— Serena Williams refuses to be drawn into the USTA’s decision to prevent Carlos Ramos from umpiring any of her matches following the explosive 2018 final
“I thought I played like my beard today. I was rusty.”
— Roger Federer concedes he was far from his best in round one
