The second day of the US Open produced no major upsets as five-time champion Roger Federer, world number five David Ferrer and tenth seed Kei Nishikori cruised into the second round on Tuesday at Flushing Meadows.
Federer produced a flying start to his US Open campaign by notching up a straight-set victory over Australian Marinko Matosevic. The Swiss Maestro also brought his 50th win of the season to book second round clash with another Aussie Sam Groth.
Federer was at his dazzling best against Matosevic, racking up 10 aces and 41 winners to close out the encounter in just over two hours. The Australian, after quickly losing the first two sets, took the third into the tiebreaker, but the Swiss completed a comprehensive 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory.
"It was a bit more difficult than I thought it was going to be in the third set," Federer said. "Marinko has got a big game. He serves and volleys so it gave me a chance to hit some good passing shots."
In another first round encounter, Ferrer completed a 6-1, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina's Damir Dzumhur in two hours and 14 minutes. Right from the start, Ferrer dominated the match and built a solid two-set lead at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Dzumhur, however, clinched the third set and seemed to give Ferrer a fight but the Spaniard killed Bosnian's hopes of rallying back by easily winning the fourth set.
Ferrer committed more unforced errors than Dzumhur, but the 22-year-old failed to take full advantage.
Ferrer now faces a tricky match in the second round against Australian Bernard Tomic, who defeated Germany's Dustin Brown 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Meanwhile, Japanese Nishikori made a successful return from a toe injury by dispatching Wayne Odesnik in straight sets. The world number 11 will now face Pablo Andujar of Spain in the second round.
Nishikori looked in fine shape during his 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Odesnik and hit 37 winners. The Japanese also converted six break points to clinch the encounter in just over two hours.
"I am very happy," Nishikori said. "I was playing really well, an almost perfect game. [There are a] couple of things I have to work on still, but I'm happy to win today. It's not easy the first match after injury. I know how important this tournament is, and so hopefully I can go farther this week."
Home hope Sam Querrey battled past Maximo Gonzalez 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in just under three hours to set up a clash with Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who registered a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan.
"First rounds can always be tough," Querrey said. "Maximo played great, I thought. It was really hot out there today. It was a physical match. When I got the break in the fifth, I was just kind of saving my energy for my service games."
Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, Argentine Federico Delbonis, Ivo Karlovic, Fabio Fognini and Marcel Granollers also advanced into the second round.
