Injured Maria pulls out; Nishikori, Ana first casualties

New York, august 31

Fourth seed Kei Nishikori's hopes of making another magical US Open run came to a quick end on Monday as last year's runner-up fell at the first hurdle, falling 6-4 3-6 4-6 7-6 (6) 6-4 to Frenchman Benoit Paire.

The 26-year-old Paire ground out a three hour 14 minute victory to get the season's final Grand Slam off to a shocking start. Japan's Nishikori, who turned in a marathon effort last year recording five set wins over Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka and a four set victor over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, had looked ready to survive the opening test coming back from a wobbly opening set. But after the 41st ranked Paire won the tiebreak he carried the momentum into the fifth set and recorded the decisive break to go up 3-2 before finishing off Nishikori with a thundering ace.

Cibulkova fells Ivanovic

Former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic was the first major casualty of the US Open as the Serbian seventh seed fell 6-3 3-6 6-3 to Dominika Cibulkova in the opening match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 50th-ranked Cibulkova of Slovakia seized the advantage with a service break in the fourth game of third set for a 3-1 lead and consolidated it with a backhand drop shot to make it 4-1 against the former French Open champion. A backhand long from Ivanovic, who had her left foot taped midway through the final set, ended the nearly two-hour contest. “Today I know that my game was there on the court,” said the 26-year-old Cibulkova, who cracked the top 10 last year before finishing the season ranked 11th and reached the quarterfinals last week in New Haven.

For Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion, the result continued an up-and-down season. The 27-year-old Serb was coming off back-to-back quarterfinals at US Open tune-up events in Toronto and Cincinnati. She also has lost three times to players outside the top-100 this year, including twice at Grand Slams.

Meanwhile, Russian Ekaterina Makarova dismissed Brazil's Teliana Pereira 6-3 6-3, and 15th seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland crushed Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-2 6-3. — Agencies

Sharapova clears the way for Serena

Third seed Maria Sharapova withdrew from the US Open with a right leg injury, easing the path to a calendar-year Grand Slam for top-ranked Serena Williams. US Open tournament director David Brewer announced Sharapova’s exit, which allowed qualifying lucky loser Daria Kasatkina of Russia into the draw in Sharapova’s place. “Unfortunately I will not be able to compete in this years US Open,” Sharapova said in a Twitter posting. “I have done everything possible to be ready but it was just not enough time.” Sharapova had been the highest-seeded rival in Williams’ half of the draw.

Top men cheer for a Serena Grand Slam

Serena Williams is on the brink of the grandest achievement in tennis, the single season Grand Slam, and even the leading men at the US Open are cheering her on. The 33-year-old American will be gunning to complete the first season’s sweep of the Slams since Steffi Graf in 1988. The last man to accomplish the feat was Rod Laver in 1969. “I am sending her good vibes, I hope she does it,” says Novak Djokovic. “I hope she does it, number one,” said Roger Federer. “Number two, of course it’s intriguing and interesting to see. You don’t get this kind of an opportunity many times in tennis, so it will be very interesting to follow.”