Alcaraz Wins Opening Match at US Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September.  EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September. EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD
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Alcaraz Wins Opening Match at US Open

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September.  EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action against Li Tu of Australia during their first round match at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 27 August 2024. The US Open tournament runs from 26 August through 08 September. EPA/BRIAN HIRSHFELD

Carlos Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 15 straight Grand Slam matches with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Li Tu on Tuesday night in the first round of the US Open, The Associated Press reported.
The No. 3 seed from Spain won the French Open and Wimbledon titles earlier this year, giving him four major championships. If he can add another U.S. Open title to the one he captured in 2022, Alcaraz would join Rod Laver (1969) and Rafael Nadal (2010) as the only men to capture those three Grand Slam titles in the same year during the Open era.
Alcaraz played just one match since losing to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Paris Olympics, then cut short a practice session before the US Open as a precaution after twisting his right ankle. But he seemed to move fine over the final two sets against the qualifier from Australia and moved on to a second-round matchup Thursday against Botic van de Zandschulp.



Rusty Djokovic Kicks off Grand Slam Record Bid with Albot Thrashing 

 Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Moldova's Radu Albot during their men's singles first round tennis match on day one of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 26, 2024. (AFP)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Moldova's Radu Albot during their men's singles first round tennis match on day one of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Rusty Djokovic Kicks off Grand Slam Record Bid with Albot Thrashing 

 Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Moldova's Radu Albot during their men's singles first round tennis match on day one of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 26, 2024. (AFP)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Moldova's Radu Albot during their men's singles first round tennis match on day one of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, on August 26, 2024. (AFP)

Novak Djokovic's bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title kicked off on Monday with a rusty 6-2 6-2 6-4 win over qualifier Radu Albot in the US Open first round as the defending champion returned to the court after his Olympic triumph.

Three weeks after winning the singles title at the Paris Games, Djokovic toted his rackets and gear in a pair of gold-colored bags onto center court where the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd gave him a hero's welcome.

But the Serb's golden touch was decidedly lacking in the late night match as he struggled with serve and racked up nearly twice as many unforced errors as winners.

For all that, he had more than enough weapons to handle Moldovan Albot in their first tour clash and claim a record 78th win at Arthur Ashe under a closed roof.

"I was not aware of it, to be honest with you," Djokovic said of the center court milestone.

"It's definitely the loudest stadium we have in the history of our sport. The night sessions are the best in the world here."

While having never played Albot before, Djokovic said he had done his homework on the 34-year-old who beat both his younger brothers Marko and Djordje during their playing days.

"They both lost to him so hopefully I can avenge my brothers tonight," he told ESPN commentator Brad Gilbert with a laugh before taking the court. Djokovic duly avenged the family name in three clunky sets but he will hope for better from his game as he looks to move past Margaret Court on the all-time Grand Slam winners' list.

With 10 double-faults, his serve was wild by his usual standards, and he winced throughout the night as 40 unforced errors piled up.

His coach Nenad Zimonjic was an animated presence, barking instructions in Serbian at the wayward champion, who could convert only six out of 16 break points.

Though Djokovic was well off his best, Albot was unable to make the world number two pay.

After bright starts in the first two sets, he crumbled on serve in each of them before making a better game of the third.

In the twilight of a record-smashing career, Djokovic is eyeing several milestones in New York, including a fifth title at Flushing Meadows to match the professional era record held by Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer.

He also hopes to become the first back-to-back winner in the men's singles since Federer's run of five successive titles from 2004-08.