Djokovic feels tad rusty in his first win as Swiatek survives scare in New York

Novak Djokovic’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title kicked off 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.Top seed Iga Swiatek on Tuesday overcame a slew of unforced errors to secure her spot in the second round of the US Open with a 6-4 7-6(6) victory over Russian lucky loser Kamilla Rakhimova.In another high profile match, two-time champion Naomi Osaka made a triumphant, tearful return to the US Open on Tuesday, beating 10th-seeded Latvian Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 a year after wondering if she would be back.In an upset result, Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis sealed a hard-fought 7-6(5) 4-6 6-3 7-5 win over 11th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. Three weeks after winning the singles title at the Paris Games, Djokovic toted his rackets and gear in a pair of gold-coloured bags onto centre 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 centre 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.Grand Slam star Swiateksurvives error-filled start Swiatek, who counts the 2022 US Open among her five Grand Slam titles, converted three of six break-point chances but also racked up 41 unforced errors en route to securing the victory in one hour and 52 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.Rakhimova, who was added to the main draw as a lucky loser after another player pulled out with injury, nearly pushed the first-time meeting to a decider but squandered a trio of set points in the second-set tiebreak.Swiatek built a 4-0 double break lead and looked poised to run away with an easy win but Rakhimova consolidated a break to get within a game before Swiatek went on to seal the first set with her third love hold of the match. The Pole consolidated an early break with another love hold for a 3-1 lead in the second set but suddenly started showing signs of frustration as her shots were off target and Rakhimova refused to back down from the challenge.Swiatek had a chance to serve out the match but Rakhimova broke to get to 5-5 as the second set went to a tiebreak where the Russian jumped ahead 6-3 before a slew of untimely mishits gifted her opponent the match."At the beginning (I felt) good but then I got a little bit tight and my opponent used it so I was trying to get back to my game,” said Swiatek. "I’ve just been trying to adjust to the courts, haven’t, you know practised a lot so this time I just wanted to feel how it is on Arthur Ashe and I’m pretty sure day by day I am going to get more and more rhythm.”The reigning French Open champion will next face Japan’s Ena Shibahara.Triumphant, tearful return for Japanese star OsakaJapan’s Osaka missed last year’s US Open after giving birth to her daughter Shai, and the former world number one is still trying to kick her return to the sport into top gear. But she was dialed in against 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko, firing 19 winners to wrap up the victory in just 63 minutes.Osaka took the court with a nod to New York fashion in a bouncy tulle skirt and bow-bedecked jacket - shedding both to play in a ruffly green dress.The playfull outfit belied the emotions she was feeling."I was trying not to cry when I was walking out,” Osaka said, tearing up during her post-match on-court interview. "Last year I was watching Coco (Gauff) play and I so badly wanted to step on these courts again,” she said. "I didn’t know if I could...just to win this match and just to be in this atmosphere means so much to me.” Osaka has made two quarter-finals at tour events in 2024 but has yet to progress beyond the second round at the majors. Ostapenko was a tough first-round draw for Osaka, who is now ranked 88th and received a wildcard into the tournament. "It was stressful,” Osaka said of the early going. "She was hitting some really good shots. I just told myself keep going and keep fighting for every point.”Meanwhile Jack Draper reached the second round after his Chinese opponent Zhang Zhizhen retired with a left leg injury in the third set with the Briton leading 6-3 6-0 4-0 while former world number one Caroline Wozniacki outclassed Japan’s Nao Hibino 6-0 6-1.