Serbia's Novak Djokovic made it clear on August 27 2008 that he would be among the main pretenders for the title at the 2008 US Open tennis tournament.
Unlike the other favourite, world number one Rafael Nadal, Djokovic won his first round match with ease. The “victim” in this case was Frenchman Arnaud Clement, who failed to put up a strong resistance despite his best efforts. Djokovic, last year's losing finalist who is now seeded third, was unstoppable and won in straight sets (6-3, 6-3, 6-4).
As the tournament's website reported it, “Djokovic showcased his entire arsenal of shots as well as his natural athleticism and agility, traversing the court with ease, creating one impossible-to-return shot after another”.
In the second round, Djokovic will have the task to win against American qualifier Robert Kendrick, who won against another Frenchman, Nicolas Mahut.
World number two Roger Federer recorded a similarly convincing first round win in the tournament, beating Argentina's Maximo Gonzales in straight sets (6-3, 6-0, 6-3). His opponent in the second round will be Brazilian qualifier Thiago Alves.















