Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer advanced with ease Tuesday at the US Open.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic who captured his fourth Australian Open crown in January, launched his quest for a fourth consecutive US Open final by beating Lithuanian 112th-ranked Ricardas Berankis 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
"I managed to make a lot of breaks in the beginning of the match and take over control," Djokovic said. "That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to play every point like it's match point and I'm happy with the performance overall."
Djokovic fired 10 aces and 28 winners and needed only 82 minutes to put himself into a last-64 matchup against Germany's Benjamin Becker.
Djokovic, the 2011 US Open winner who lost to Andy Murray in last year's final and last month's Wimbledon final, improved to 12-1 in Arthur Ashe Stadium night matches, what he called "the most special night matches of any tournament anywhere in the world."
Federer made a solid start to his bid for a sixth US Open title by defeating Slovenia's Grega Zemlja 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 in a match delayed a day by rain.
"There wasn't much rhythm out there, but I was happy the way I played," said Federer. "Overall I'm pleased to be in the next round."
The 32-year-old Swiss star, who as the seventh seed is at his lowest spot in the US Open since 2002, will face Argentina's Carlos Berlocq in round two.
Federer, whose 56th Grand Slam start in a row matched South African Wayne Ferreira for the all-time record run, has only one title in his past 14 Slam starts, that coming last year at Wimbledon.
After a second-round exit this year at Wimbledon, Federer took only 93 minutes to eliminate Zemlja despite surrendering a third-set break.
"You're going to have sonme hiccups like I had today. It was a minor one," Federer said. "I might have had more confidence if I had closed it out without that. This way I had to fight a bit more. Who knows? Maybe that gives me confidence too."
Federer, who won five US Open titles in a row from 2004-2008, is on a quarter-final collision course with second seed Rafael Nadal, whom he has never faced at the US Open.
Two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, who lost to Serena Williams in last year's final, downed German Dinah Pfizenmaier 6-0, 6-0. The second seed from Belarus faces Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak next.
"Last time I was here it was very emotional. I'm happy to be back," said Azarenka.
"I raised my level when I needed to. There were a few unforced errors (10) but overall I felt pretty consistent."
Canadian 10th seed Milos Raonic fired 28 aces in defeating Italy's Thomas Fabbiano 6-3, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, and talked confidently of a last-eight run.
"I think I can put myself in that position," Raonic said. "I just have to make the opportunities and convert them. If I play well, I can get very close."
Source: AFP
