Murray Makes Smooth Progress; Llodra Ousts Berdych

© Getty ImagesAndy Murray was untroubled in his first-round win over Lukas Lacko.

ATP World Tour No. 4 Andy Murray impressed in his first-round match at the US Open on Wednesday, dismissing Slovakian Lukas Lacko 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The Scot, who reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open in 2008 (l. to Federer), recorded his 36th win of the season as he broke serve six times from 14 opportunities and struck 37 winners, 17 more than his opponent.

"It was good," reflected Murray. "It wasn't necessarily the best tennis, but tricky conditions out there. It was very windy on the court. It was a guy I've never played against on the tour. I haven't really seen much of him play, so took a little time to get used to his game. But I did enough to win in straight sets, and that was the most important thing."

The 23-year-old Murray came into Flushing Meadows as the 2010 Olympus US Open Series champion, having won his first ATP World Tour title of the season in Toronto with back-to-back victories over Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, and reached the Los Angeles final (l. to Querrey).

Murray next will face Jamaican Dustin Brown, who marked his US Open debut with a 6-4, 7-6(6), 7-5 victory over Spain’s Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo. The 25 year old improved to a 6-8 match record on the season, highlighted by two quarter-final showings in Johannesburg (l. to Robert) and Newport (l. to Dabul).

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Only one other Jamaican player, Richard Russell, has ever competed in the US Open main draw. Russell won just one match, back in 1968, in the first year of the Open Era.

Looking ahead to the clash with Murray, Brown said: "I'm gonna definitely play my type of tennis, play aggressive, try to keep the points short. I've seen that he's a very good returner, so I'll have to see how it works out, how I'm serving, if it's possible to play serve and volley or have to play from the baseline."

France’s Michael Llodra sprung a surprise as he ousted World No. 7 and Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4. The 30-year-old Llodra, a two-time title winner on the ATP World Tour this season, saved all three break points he faced and was able to convert two of the eight chances he created to seal victory in two hours and 26 minutes. Llodra next will face Romanian Victor Hanescu, a 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 winner over Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq.

The 24-year-old Berdych has enjoyed a Grand Slam breakthrough this season, reaching his first major semi-final at Roland Garros before going one better a month later at Wimbledon by finishing runner-up to Nadal, having defeated Federer and Novak Djokovic en route to the final. It is only the second time this season that the Czech player has lost in the opening round at a tour-level event.

Swiss No. 25 seed Stanislas Wawrinka capitalised on five of 13 break point chances as he dispatched Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and 47 minutes. The 25-year-old Wawrinka has struggled to find his best form over the summer and will look to win back-to-back tour-level matches for the first time since May when he faces Juan Ignacio Chela in the second round. The No. 51-ranked Chela defeated Yen-Hsun Lu 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Elsewhere, France’s Gilles Simon snapped a three-match losing streak as he cruised past American Donald Young 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in just 81 minutes. Former World No. 6 Simon next will meet No. 29 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who fired 11 aces and benefitted from 15 double faults from his opponent as he prevailed in an all-German clash with Tobias Kamke 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.