Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams post impressive opening wins

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Ashleigh Barty all made winning starts on day one of the US Open, but Federer and Barty will need to step things up after dropping sets in their tournament openers.

Djokovic made light work of beating Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4 6-1 6-4, after which the world number one was trimmed to 6-5 from 5-4 to retain his title, and Williams hardened as favourite - 4-1 from 11-2 - following her 6-1 6-1 mauling of once-great rival Maria Sharapova.

Federer was kept at 8-1 to go all the way after overcoming a slow start to defeat little-known Sumit Nagal 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 while French Open champion and Flushing Meadows second seed Barty had to dig deep to see off Zarina Diyas 1-6 6-3 6-2.

Johanna Konta made a positive start to her US Open title tilt when defeating Daria Kasatkina 6-1 4-6 6-2.

The British number one, who was 125-1 for Flushing Meadows on Friday and 80-1 on Sunday, was cut to 66-1 after the victory, which should go down as a good one because Russian Kasatkina has been showing signs of a return to better form.

Konta is 2-5 with Betway to post the best finish of the three Brits remaining in the US Open. Kyle Edmund, who has not been in the best of form this season, is 15-4 before his first-round clash with Pablo Andujar while Dan Evans, who will face Lucas Pouille in the last 64 after the Birmingham ace ousted Adrian Mannarino 6-4 6-3 2-6 6-3, is 4-1 outsider-of-three.

Men's seventh seed Kei Nishikori, US Open runner-up in 2014, progressed when his opponent Marco Trungelliti retired when trailing 6-1 4-1.

US Open best outright prices at 11.30am Tuesday – men: 6-5 N Djokovic, 3 R Nadal, 8 R Federer, 14 D Medvedev, 33 D Thiem, 40 S Tsitsipas, A Zverev, 50 N Kyrgios, 66 bar; women: 4 S Williams, 8 S Halep, 11 A Barty, 12 Karo. Pliskova, 14 B Andreescu, M Keys, N Osaka, 28 bar.

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