Murray, Djokovic advance at US Open

Spinning in 70 mph second serves, grabbing at his hamstring during points, Andy Murray gritted his way through head-to-toe cramps to win at the US Open.

Murray outlasted Robin Haase 6-3 7-6 (8-6) 1-6 7-5 in the first round on a Monday afternoon that was hot but not particularly humid.

He was mystified that the cramps came on so early – at the start of the third set after only about an hour-and-a-half on court.

“When it starts to kind of go everywhere, you don’t know exactly where it’s going to creep up next,” he said.

“When you stretch one muscle, something else then cramps too.”

It started in the back of his left shoulder, and then quickly spread to his forearm.

The right-handed Murray couldn’t toss the ball high enough to get any pace on his serves.

Between points, he’d twist his body to awkwardly stretch his left side. After hitting a winner, he’d reach for his quad.

Murray was twice down a break in the fourth set, but the 70th-ranked Haase unravelled with a string of unforced errors. He wasted three break points in the final game, when a missed call also cost him.

The eighth-seeded Murray had felt confident in his conditioning after productive training sessions in Miami, where he weathered far more heat and humidity than this. He wondered if something was amiss in his nutrition.

“Cramping in my left forearm?” a bewildered Murray said. “I mean, I didn’t use my left forearm a whole lot today.”

Haase, also bothered by some cramping, said he didn’t eat and drink enough beforehand because of an earlier-than-expected start – the first match on Louis Armstrong Stadium lasted just 47 minutes. But Murray said dehydration didn’t seem to be his problem.

There were no such struggles for top-seeded Novak Djokovic, who breezed past US Open novice Diego Schwartzman 6-1 6-2 6-4.

Djokovic wrapped up the final match on opening day at the year’s last Grand Slam event as the hour grew late, with fans calling out to him from the far-away seats at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I hope it was a midnight delight for all you guys,” he told them in an on-court interview.

Ninth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also needed four sets to beat Juan Monaco 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-1.

Julien Benneteau, seeded 24th, was upset in five sets by fellow Frenchman Benoit Paire.

Third-seeded Stan Wawrinka and fifth-seeded Milos Raonic both advanced in straight sets.

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