The Latest: Djokovic up 2 sets in US Open second round
NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local):
Novak Djokovic has easily won the first two sets of his second-round match.
Djokovic leads Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-3 after a little more than an hour.
Djokovic has never lost a second-round match at the U.S. Open.
Kei Nishikori advanced to a possible third-round meeting with Novak Djokovic, holding off American Mackenzie Mcdonald 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-3.
Nishikori improved to 27-7 in fifth sets, the highest winning percentage among active players, and avenged a loss to Mcdonald in Washington earlier this summer.
Nishikori beat Djokovic in the 2014 U.S. Open semifinals to become the first Asian Grand Slam men’s singles finalist. The native of Japan lost to Marin Cilic.
Djokovic has won the first set of his secondround match.
Now he will hope for a smoother second set than he had Tuesday.
The No. 1 seed has a 6-2 lead over Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic easily took the first set against Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune in the first round before the Danish qualifier got the crowd on his side and won a second-set tiebreaker. But he battled cramps after that and Djokovic quickly won the final two sets.
That got Djokovic started on what he hopes will be his men’s-record 21st Grand Slam title and his fourth of this season. No man has won all four majors in the same year since 1969.
Djokovic is trying to break a tie with Federer and Rafael Nadal for most Grand Slam titles by a men’s player. They all have 20.