U.S. Open: Federer, Nishikori, Isner, Ferrer advance in first round
Growing up as a basketball fan, Roger Federer had a poster of Michael Jordan hanging on his bedroom wall. On Tuesday night, Federer won a first-round match at the U.S. Open with Jordan sitting in his courtside guest box.
Playing in his record 60th consecutive Grand Slam tournament, and seeking to add to his mark of 17 major titles, Federer delighted his childhood idol with a back-to-the-net, between-the-legs shot during a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over 76th-ranked Marinko Matosevic of Australia.
The second-seeded Federer will face another Australian, big-serving Sam Groth, in the second round.
John Isner, a former top American college player, beat this year's top American college player. The 13th-seeded Isner won 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (2) against Marcos Giron, who earned his first spot in a Grand Slam tournament when he won the NCAA title for UCLA in May.
Fellow American Sam Querrey improved to 3-9 in five-set matches with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Argentina's Maximo Gonzalez.
Another American, Jack Sock, retired from his match because of a right calf injury. Sock was trailing 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to Pablo Andujar of Spain when he decided he couldn't continue.
Fourth-seeded David Ferrer beat Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
Tenth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan cruised to a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory over American Wayne Odesnik, showing no apparent effects from a toe injury that hampered his preparations. The 176th-ranked Odesnik earned a wild card into the U.S. Open, his first appearance in five years. He served a yearlong ban after pleading guilty for importing human growth hormone into Australia.
Victor Estrella of the Dominican Republic earned his first Grand Slam victory at age 34, beating Igor Sijsling 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Estrella hadn't played in a major tournament until this year.
