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NEW YORK: Angelique Kerber needed just over 30 minutes to get her pursuit of a first US Open off to a winning start Monday as **vak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal prepared to make their bow.
Second seed and Australian Open champion Kerber was leading Polona Hercog 6-0, 1-0 when the Slovenian called it quits, clearly wilting in the crushing 33-degree heat, having won just nine points. "It´s **t the way I wanted to win, but I am playing well and feeling good," said the German star. Hercog, ranked at 120, needed a lengthy medical timeout after five games of the opening set with a doctor and trainer called. Kerber, who next faces either Alize Cornet of France or Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia, insisted she will **t be distracted by possibly dethroning Serena Williams as world number one by the end of the tournament. Double Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-3 while former world number one and two-time US Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki downed US qualifier Taylor Townsend 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The Flushing Meadows complex was showcasing its gleaming $600 million refit which includes a retractable roof over Ashe and a brand new Grandstand court. However, the old Grandstand court, due to be demolished after the tournament, was pressed into action after Court 10 was deemed unplayable. أكثر... |
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