Andy Murray earned a late night opening-round victory in a match which ended just before midnight as four hours of rain interruptions played havoc with the US Open schedule on Wednesday.
The defending champion defeated Frenchman Michael Llodra 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 in a night-session match which began near 10 pm on the weather-affected day.
Murray compiled a 4-0 record over Llodra as the Scot won his 30th match of the season. He has never lost in the first round in nine appearances at the event.
There was more drama involved as former champion Juan Del Potro was made to work, with the sixth seed squeezing into the second round after fighting off a challenge from Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
The Argentine won on his fourth match point for a 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) win in four-and-three-quarter hours.
The match was halted for two-and-a-quarter hours in the opening afternoon stages while drizzly weather passed.
“It was a long day for me,” said Del Potro, who hit 13 aces and 52 winners in his victory. “You prepare for matches like three, four times a day, then the rain come again.
“Sometimes it’s frustrating, but we are professionals. Sometimes these things can happen. In the end, if you win, everything is okay.” The night-time finish sends the 2009 winner into a match with German Peter Gojowczyk, who beat Igor Sijsling 7-6 (9-7), 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.
“It was really close for me. I think I was lucky maybe in the fourth set when I come back after being break down. But I’m okay. I feel good with my level. My forehand was good. My serve improved since the last tournament. That’s important.”
Ninth seed Stanislas Wawrinka beat Radek Stepanek 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-2.
Marcos Baghdatis defeated Go Soeda 6-4, 6-3, 6-1, South African Kevin Anderson stopped German Daniel Brands 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and Russian Mikhail Youzhny put out France’s Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
2001 winner Lleyton Hewitt started with a victory over Brian Baker 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; Russian Evgeny Donskoy stopped weekend ATP title-winner Juergen Melzer 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the humid, heavy conditions.
Women's Singles
Women’s seeds Agnieszka Radwanska and Li Na got in quick second-round wins early in the day before the rain and a threat of lightning arrived.
Conditions forced officials to cancel matches, including four featuring women’s seeds: number one Serena Williams, eighth seed Angelique Kerber, number nine Jelena Jankovic and 16th-seeded Sabine Lisicki.
Number three Radwanska beat Spain’s Maria Torro-Flor 6-0, 7-5 while former French Open winner Li, seeded fifth, defeated Swede Sofia Arvidsson 6-2, 6-2.
China’s Li needed a mere 64 minutes to earn her win to reach the third round. Li struck 29 winners to just four for her opponent and was relieved to get off court quickly.
“I was a little bit happy, because at least I’m done for my job today,” she said, adding that she felt lucky to finish before the rain came.
“I didn’t have to wait and warm up and come to the court again.” Radwanska got through in just under 90 minutes, helped by 10 double-faults from her 103rd-ranked Spanish opponent who only began her grand slam career this season.
“Played the first match and then I’m done. I can just relax. Sometimes it’s good to play first even when I have to wake up really early, especially, you know, it’s always traffic so we have to really leave early from the hotel.”
Briton Laura Robson played with painkillers for a healing wrist injury to beat Caroline Garcia 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) while grand slam semi-finalist Zheng Jie of China beat former champion Venus Williams 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5).
“I definitely wish that I was playing the third round, but it’s not to be for me this year,” said the 33-year-old. “I tried, really, she played well. She just went for every shot. Unfortunately I didn’t play consistently enough.”