NEW YORK: Serena
Williams nearly crashed out of the rain-hit US Open on Wednesday while
top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic battled through shoulder pain and
Roger Federer advanced despite a weak start. US eighth seed Serena Williams,
seeking her 24th career Grand Slam title to match Margaret Court's all-time
record, got a scare before ousting 17-year-old US wildcard Caty McNally 5-7,
6-3, 6-1. McNally, who hadn't been born when Williams won her first Slam at the
1999 US Open, threatened a struggling Williams from the start before the
six-time US Open champion won nine of the last 11 games to escape under the
roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I survived
tonight. I'm not too pleased with the way I played at all," Williams said.
"'Serena, you made way too many errors today. What were you thinking?' But
I'm alive. I'm happy. I'll do better next time. I promise." Djokovic,
winner of four of the past five Slam titles and 16 in all, was treated for a
sore left shoulder throughout his 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 victory over Argentina's
56th-ranked Juan Ignacio Londero.

"It was
definitely affecting my serve and backhand," Djokovic said of his shoulder
injury. "I was definitely tested." Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam
winner who last won the US Open in 2008, rallied to beat 99th-ranked Bosnian
Damir Dzumhur 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. The 38-year-old Swiss third seed, who also
dropped the first set against Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal in his opener,
answered the wake-up call despite 17 first-set unforced errors. "It's just
a bit frustrating more than anything, especially when the level is that low and
there are that many errors and the energy is not kind of there," Federer
said. "But can only do better, which is a great thing moving forward.

"I clearly
have to play better from the get-go." What the year's final Grand Slam
event lacked in quantity, with 22 singles matches postponed by showers, it
overcame with quality in amazing matches that challenged three of the greatest
stars in tennis history. One point from surrendering a break into a
tie-breaker, McNally won six of the final seven points, the last on a service
winner, to capture the first set. Both players made 15 unforced errors. "I
couldn't play too much worse at that point," Williams said. "I was
making so many errors off my forehand. I knew I could play better."

Williams broke on
a forehand winner in the sixth game of the second set and, after being denied
on four set points on McNally's serve, hit a backhand volley winner to force a
third set. Williams opened the third set with a break on the way to a 4-0 edge
and cruised home from there. "She really came out and played really
well," Williams said. "She showed no fear." Djokovic's injury
casts grave doubts on his bid to be the first US Open repeat winner since
Federer won from 2004-2008, admitting he wondered if he would even get through
the first set.

"This is
something I've been carrying for quite a while now," Djokovic said.
"It wasn't easy to play with the pain, but you have to hope you will get
some opportunities and some lucky shots. "It's not the first time I'm
facing this kind of adversity or challenge. It is what it is and I'm just
grateful to be on the court." Five-time US Open winner Federer, who lost
to Djokovic in last month's epic Wimbledon final, started poorly but broke
early in each of the last three sets and held serve to the end.

"I buckled
down and told myself I was going to hang tough and not get broken,"
Federer said. "That made a big difference." Japanese seventh seed Kei
Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runner-up, beat 108th-ranked American Bradley Klahn
6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. French Open champion Ashleigh Barty, the second seed from
Australia, eliminated 73rd-ranked American Lauren Davis 6-2, 7-6 (7/2). Czech
third seed Karolina Pliskova, seeking her first Grand Slam title, ousted
202nd-ranked Georgian qualifier Mariam Bolkvadze 6-1, 6-4. Ukrainian fifth seed
Elina Svitolina defeated seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4
and US 10th seed Madison Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, trounced China's Zhu
Lin 6-4, 6-1. - AFP