NEW YORK (AP) Barely 40 minutes into his second-round match at the U.S. Open, top-seeded Novak Djokovic was a point from losing the opening set. A dozen minutes later, he was in control, on his way to a straight-set victory.
After taking a bit to adjust the swirling wind Friday at Flushing Meadows, 2011 champion Djokovic beat 87th-ranked Benjamin Becker of Germany 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2.
Djokovic, a finalist in New York four of the past six years, got broken for the only time in the opening set, allowing Becker to serve for it at 5-4. Becker best known for beating Andre Agassi at the 2006 U.S. Open in the last match of the American's career then held two sets points.
But Becker wasted the first with a forehand into the net and the second with a backhand wide. Another missed backhand let Djokovic break, and he never let up.