Andy Murray showed he is still capable of mixing it with the world’s best after coming from two sets down to beat Yoshihito Nishioka in the US Open first round on Tuesday.
Murray Completes Remarkable Comeback
The former world number one was competing in his first singles match at a Grand Slam event since the Australian Open in January 2019 having undergone career-saving hip surgery.
Things certainly didn’t start well for the Briton, as he found himself two sets down against his Japanese opponent, but he then rolled back the years and staged a remarkable comeback to triumph 4-6 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 after four hours and 39 minutes on court.
The 33-year-old’s reward for reaching round two at Flushing Meadows will be a clash with 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada and the Scot is priced at 40/1 to go all the way and win the US Open for a second time.
Should Murray beat Auger-Aliassime then he could face fellow Brit Dan Evans in the third round after the 23rd seed came through his opening match of the tournament against Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-2 6-1 7-6 (7-5).
There was also British success in the women’s draw with Johanna Konta overcoming compatriot Heather Watson 7-6 (9-7) 6-1 to set up a second-round clash with Sorana Cirstea of Romania.
Djokovic Set for Safe Passage Into Round Three
Top seed Djokovic has been the dominant force of the disrupted 2020 season, as he is yet to lose a competitive match this year, winning four tournaments including the Australian Open and last week’s Cincinnati Masters.
The Serbian, who is a three time champion in New York, had little trouble in seeing off Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in round one and he should have too much for his next opponent as well, unseeded Brit Kyle Edmund.
Djokovic has won all four of his previous meetings with Edmund on hard courts without even dropping a set, including a 6-2 6-1 6-4 mauling at the US Open back in 2016 and the 33-year-old is priced at 4/13 to claim another straight-sets victory this time around as well.
Pliskova Hoping to Avoid Garcia Slip
Czech star Karolina Pliskova is the top seed at this year’s tournament following the withdrawals of Ashleigh Barty and Simona Halep, with the world number three underlying those credentials with a 6-4 6-0 victory over Anhelina Kalinina in round one.
However, the 28-year-old has never won a Grand Slam tournament and she has been handed a potential banana skin draw against former world number four Caroline Garcia in round two.
Garcia has endured a disappointing 2020 to date and has plummeted down the rankings as a result, but she is still a player to be feared given she has seven WTA titles to her name, including when she beat Pliskova in the final of the 2018 Tianjin Open.
Indeed, the two players have shared their six previous meetings so Wednesday’s clash could well go the distance.
Pliskova is priced at 4/13 to book her place in round three, while Garcia is available at a perhaps tempting 12/5.
*All odds correct at time of writing