Five-time champion Roger Federer advanced to the second round of the US Open on Tuesday with a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory over Australian Marinko Matosevic.
Federer was cruising against the 76th-ranked Matosevic with a two-set lead and a break in the third before his Aussie foe broke back to eventually force the tiebreaker.
“It was a bit more difficult than I thought it was going to be,” admitted Federer, who is seeking an 18th Grand Slam title but his first since Wimbledon 2012.
He will face another Australian, 104th-ranked Sam Groth for a third-round berth.