Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal miss Roger Federer at US Open

The 26-year-old Dane recovered from 0-4 down in the first set to record a seventh win in eight meetings and third in NY over the ninth-seeded Russian.

“That’s my feeling and I can understand some players that are a little bit older and they chose to not go because they have been there”.

Djokovic was handed a walkover when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their second round encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm.

Djokovic admitted before the season’s final grand slam that his injured wrist has not fully healed, and Monday he had to call for a trainer in the first set to treat his right arm.

Left-hander Vesely had defeated the Serb at the Monte Carlo Masters in April.

Djokovic now progresses to the last-32 to play Argentine Guido Pella or Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny on Friday.

“The Big Four are getting older”, the 30-year-old Nadal said with a smile last week. He played the amusing man earlier in his career when he’d imitate and mock certain players’ habits in an effort to bring a bit of life into his matches, and while that earnt him fleeting laughs, long term love has eluded him.

“This is a big win for me”. “I can’t say enough about Frances”. Vesely wrote on Instagram afterward that the arm had been bothering him for a couple of days and he would see what the doctors in NY said about it.

Marin Cilic was made to work in the first two games against Rogerio Dutra Silva but in the end he held out for a straight sets victory.

Flamboyant French 10th seed Gael Monfils took his summer hardcourt record to 15-2 with a 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 win over Gilles Muller of Luxemburg.

“I think I played a solid match for a lot of time, then was a tough moment in the middle of the second set but I think I resisted well and very happy for the victory”, Nadal said on court.

“I was playing on adrenaline”, said 24-year-old Harrison who was as high as 43 in the world in 2012. “But I would certainly buy stock in him right now, for sure”.

Following her on that court will be No. 2 Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up, against Polona Hercog.

“It wasn’t to be in the second set but overall it was a good performance”.

Kerber faces either Shelby Rogers or CiCi Bellis, both of the United States, for a place in the last 16.

Third seed Garbine Muguruza came from a set behind to eliminate Elise Mertens 2-6 6-0 6-3.

But he did manage to deflect attention away from his on-court woes with a odd moment during his post-match interview on the blue surface of Flushing Meadows. But before the injury I was the third in the race and not very far from No. 2. The Frenchman, seeded 10th, won 6-4 6-2 7-6 (7-5).

Early winners in the men’s event were South Africa’s Kevin Anderson who saw off Canada’s Vasek Pospisil 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 6-4.

Roberta Vinci eased into the second round beating Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-2, 6-4.

Fourth seed Rafa Nadal, who is recovering from a wrist injury that forced him to pull out of the French Open and then to miss Wimbledon, plays in Wednesday’s night session against Andreas Seppi of Italy.