US Open top seeds Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki moved into the second round on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts while Serbia duo Novak Djokovic and Jelena Jankovic struggled to advance.
Reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion Nadal, trying to become the seventh man to complete a career Grand Slam, beat Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 7-6, 7-6, 6-3, his only service breaks coming in the last set.
“My serve worked well and I hope to continue like this,” Nadal said.
“It’s not my best shot, but I always work hard at improving it. If I am to have chances to win here one day, I need to serve well.”
The 24-year-old Spaniard, who would be the youngest career Slam holder and only the fourth man to win three Slams in a row if he wins this year’s US Open, will next face Denis Istomin, of Uzbekistan.
Wozniacki, seeking her first Grand Slam title after losing to Kim Clijsters in last year’s US Open final, romped in her first Grand Slam match as a top seed, eliminating US wild card Chelsey Gullickson 6-1, 6-1 in 61 minutes.
Wozniacki will face Taiwan’s Chang Kai-Chen for a berth in the third round after winning the match-up of 20-year-olds, which did not start until 10 minutes before midnight due to the length of previous Arthur Ashe Stadium matches.
Third seed Djokovic ousted countryman Viktor Troicki 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 after three hours and 40 minutes in the heat to book a place against Philipp Petzschner.
Fourth-seeded Jankovic, seeking her first Grand Slam title, edged 96th-rated Romanian teen Simona Halep 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. The 2008 US Open runner-up nearly suffered her first opening-match Slam exit since the 2005 French Open.
Jankovic, who will next play 150th-ranked Croatian qualifier Mirjana Lucic, has faith she has what it takes to win a Grand Slam crown.
“I know I can do that,” Jankovic said.
“It’s just a matter of believing in myself, having the confidence and doing the right things on court because I really want to get my tennis to another level.”
Eighth seed Li Na, the highest Chinese seed in Grand Slam history, lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko. The Australian Open semi-finalist had not lost a Grand Slam opener since the 2006 Australian Open.
On the men’s side, Cypriot 16th seed Marcos Baghdatis went down 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 to French veteran Arnaud Clement and France’s Jeremy Chardy beat Latvian 24th seed Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 7-6, 6-4.
Results
(Women) Dulko bt Azarenka 5-1 ret; Ivanovic bt Zheng 6-3 6-0; Pavlyuchenkova bt Mirza 6-2 6-4; Razzano bt Bartoli 7-5 6-4.
(Men) Querry bt Klahn 6-3 4-6 7-5 6-4; Hanescu bt Berlocq 6-2 6-4 6-3; Harrison bt Ljubicic 6-3 6-7 6-3 6-4; Almagro bt Starace 4-6 6-4 6-4 7-5; Llodra bt Berdych 7-6 6-4 6-4; Murray bt Lacko 6-3 6-2 6-2.