US OPEN: Serena, Nadal Progresses To Round Two

Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal lived up to their billing with victories in the first of this year's US Open night sessions.

Top seed Williams needed just 30 minutes to begin her bid for a first calendar Grand Slam as Vitalia Diatchenko retired at 6-2 2-0 down.

Nadal, seeded eighth, saw off 18-year-old Borna Coric 6-3 6-2 4-6 6-4. World number one Novak Djokovic went through, but fourth seed Kei Nishikori was beaten.

Tennis: Maria Sharapova Pulls Out Of US Open

World number three Maria Sharapova has pulled out of the US Open on the eve of the tournament because of injury. The 28-year-old Russian has not played since Wimbledon following a knee injury and posted on Facebook:  "I have done everything possible to be ready but it was just not enough time."

The five-time Grand Slam winner was due to play Australian world number 37 Daria Gavrilova on Monday in New York.

In her statement, Sharapova said she is targeting a return in "a few weeks".

GOLF: Woods In Contention With 66 At Quicken Loans National

Tiger Woods recorded his lowest 36-hole total in two years after firing a five-under 66 to put himself in contention at the Quicken Loans National.

Friday's display, which followed an opening-round 68, placed him on eight under and three shot off the lead held by Japan's Ryo Ishikawa.

England's Greg Owen is also on eight under along with seven other players.Woods, a 14-time major winner, missed the cut at both the US Open and The Open.

TENNIS: Roger Federer Beats Gael Monfils In Epic US Open Comeback

Roger Federer battled back from two sets down and double match point to defeat 20th seed Gael Monfils 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the US Open. Federer, aiming to add to his grand slam men’s record total of 17 singles crowns, survived a pair of match points when down 15-40 on serve in the 10th game of the fourth set.

Frenchman Monfils struck a backhand long to squander his first chance to claim victory and then Federer denied the 20th seed with a sizzling forehand winner to stay in the match. From that point on, Federer took charge by holding serve for 5-5, closing out the fourth set and then breaking Monfils in the first game of the fifth. Playing at his brilliant best after scattering unforced errors earlier in the match, the Swiss master took nine of the last 11 games in the three-hour 20-minute clash at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

US OPEN: Roger Federer Moves To Fourth Round Despite Weather Upset

Grand slam king Roger Federer came back with renewed vigor after a weather delay to rout Spaniard Marcel Granollers 4-6 6-1 6-1 6-1 and charge into the fourth round of the US Open. The 42nd-ranked Granollers surprisingly led the second-seeded Swiss 5-2 when lightning and heavy rains suspended their afternoon match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

After play resumed a couple of hours later, 17-times grand slam winner Federer conceded the first set and trailed 1-0 in the second before taking 18 of the next 20 games to secure victory.

US OPEN: Caroline Wozniacki Knocks Maria Sharapova Out As Lucic-Baroni Sends Simona Halep Home

Five time grand slam champion Maria Sharapova joined the exodus of US Open top seeds, succumbing in three sets to former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. The 10th-seeded Dane booked a quarter-final berth with a 6-4 2-6 6-2 triumph on a steamy Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

The conditions were so punishing that the players were granted a break in the locker room before the third set, and when they returned to the court Wozniacki wasted little time, breaking Sharapova to love in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead. She broke the Russian superstar again in the final game to seal the victory and a chance to play 13th-seeded Italian Sara Errani for a semi-final berth.

WOW!!! Novak Djokovic Invites 9-Year Old Girl To Sing At US Open

Novak Djokovic made one little girl's day and left others touched as she sang during his US Open press conference at Flushing Meadows. Djokovic dismissed American Sam Querrey 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in a routine win, but it was the press conference that followed that will be more fondly remembered.

Djokovic talked of music and poetry when he was asked if there were any particular classroom experiences that impacted his childhood development. What then ensued was simply wonderful, and very surprising.

US OPEN: Roger Federer Ends Sam Groth’s Campaign In Straight Sets

Nick Kyrgios is Australia’s last man standing at Flushing Meadows after Roger Federer ended big-serving Sam Groth’s gallant US Open campaign. Try as he might, Groth was unable to find a way past the mighty Federer, faltering 6-4 6-4 6-4 in his “once-in-a-lifetime” appearance under lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

After cracking the world’s top 100 this month, Groth was facing a top-10 rival for the first time and opponents don’t come any tougher in New York than the masterful Swiss. The five-times champion boasts the Open’s greatest winning strike rate — a staggering 89 per cent — in 46 years of professional tennis and has lost only once in 25 night matches. And dressed to kill in undertaker all-black, Federer was in a merciless mood as he broke Groth’s much-hyped serve five times in an entertaining Friday night duel.

US OPEN - Novak Djokovic Glances To Second Round

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic shrugged off his mediocre run-up to the U.S. Open by outclassing Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 6-1 6-2 6-4 to close the first day of the U.S. Open on Monday. The Wimbledon champion, who won only two matches on the North American hard courts after getting married days after his All England Club triumph last month, sprinted to victory in 97 minutes.

"I'm very pleased," Djokovic told the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd after the one-sided win. "It's never easy to start a U.S. Open smoothly."

SHOCKER!!! Tennis Not My No.1 Priority Anymore - Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic has had so-so results in the run-up to the U.S. Open, but the world number one is not concerned. In fact, he is riding high as a newly-wed and a soon-to-be father.The 27-year-old Serb tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart Jelena Ristic four days after winning the Wimbledon trophy last month and with fatherhood looming he knows his life will be forever changed.

"Without a doubt, life changes. You know, priorities change," Djokovic told reporters on Saturday ahead of Monday's start of the U.S. Open, the last grand slam of the season.

US OPEN: Rafael Nadal Out Due To Wrist Injury

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the US Open with an injury to his right wrist.
The world number two suffered the injury in training on 29 July, and missed two warm-up tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati.

The 28-year-old had hoped to recover before 25 August, when the US Open gets under way at Flushing Meadows.

"I am very sorry to announce I won't be able to play at this year's US Open," he wrote on his Facebook page.

INCREDIBLE!!! Eleven-Year-Old Lucy Li Creates Golf History At US Open

LUCY Li, an 11-year-old who won a skills event at Augusta National in April, fired an eight-over-par 78 today in a historic US Women's Open first round.

Li, the youngest qualifier in US Women's Open history at age 10, was proudly holding an ice cream cone in her left hand while answering questions about her round on a hot day at formidable Pinehurst, where American Stacey Lewis led the field.

“Getting to play in the US Open was a lot of fun. I kind of struggled today, but it was great,” Li said.