BITES FROM THE BIG APPLE

AN EMOTIONAL Mardy Fish could only hobble off as his career came to an end with severe cramp and a 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 defeat against Spain’s Feliciano Lopez. The Californian, who served for the match in the fourth set, was given a standing ovation as he left the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

JAMIE MURRAY and Australian partner John Peers are regarded as genuine contenders for Grand Slam titles these days and their campaign got off to a good start with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Americans Denis Novikov and Bjorn Frantangelo.

LITTLE known Russian teenager Daria Kasatkina lost in the final round of qualifying but made the main draw as a ‘lucky loser’ after Maria Sharapova withdrew. She is now a minimum £80,000 richer after winning two rounds, beating Croatian Ana Konjuh 6-4, 6-4 last night.

NICK KYRGIOS may be gone but fellow Australian naughty boy Bernard Tomic is still around. Bernie, arrested by police after a hotel fracas in Miami seven weeks ago, has a second-round match tonight against soon-to-retire compatriot Lleyton Hewitt.

COCO VANDEWEGHE produced the racket smash of the tournament last night. Down 5-0 to Bethanie Mattek-Sands before losing 6-2 6-1, the American totalled her frame at the changeover by hammering it into the ground.