Serena, Djokovic roll but Nishikori falls at US Open

Top-ranked Serena Williams launched her quest to win the US Open and complete a calendar Grand Slam by overwhelming 86th-ranked Russian Vitalia Diatchenko for her 29th consecutive Slam match triumph.
The three-time defending champion won 6-0 2-0 after only 30 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium when Diatchenko retired with a left foot injury, advancing Williams into the second round at Flushing Meadows.
The 33-year-old American chases the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 and a 22nd career major title to match Graf's Open Era record, two shy of Australian Margaret Court's all-time mark.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic cruised into the men's second round but Japanese fourth seed Kei Nishikori crashed out after his runner-up effort last year.

Williams praised the New York crowd, which has adored her since she captured her first major title at the 1999 US Open as a teen prodigy.
"I felt the support and love on this journey and milestone I'm trying to take one match at a time," Williams said.

"I feel so good. I'm so ready. I'm at home, where it all began for me in '99. It all feels great."
Williams advanced to a second-round match against Dutch qualifier Kiki Bertens, who eliminated Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
"If I can just stay relaxed and stay in the points and stay calm and stay happy out there, I have to look at it as I have nothing to lose."

Williams lost plenty of potential obstacles in her march to history on day one as top-10 women's seeds Ana Ivanovic, Karolina Pliskova and Carla Suarez Navarro exited with opening-match losses.
That left 12th seed Belinda Bencic -- who ousted Bulgarian Sesil Karatancheva 6-1, 6-2 -- as the top-rated foe in Williams' half of the draw. Williams, who lost to Bencic in the Toronto semi-finals, could see the Swiss teen again in a quarter-final.
Williams, who owns six US and Australian Open and Wimbledon titles plus three French Open crowns, won her 22nd US Open match in a row since her last loss, to Aussie Samantha Stosur in the 2011 final. Williams has won eight Slam titles since then.

Djokovic needed only one hour and 11 minutes to capture a 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Brazil's Joao Souza.