Flushing Meadows, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Former champions Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were easy second-round winners Thursday at the U.S. Open.
The world No. 1 star Djokovic dismantled oft-injured Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in 1 hour, 28 minutes at Ashe Stadium.
The Wimbledon champion from Serbia titled here in 2011 and is a four-time U.S. Open runner-up, including last year against Rafael Nadal. He's appeared in the last four finals in Flushing.
Djokovic's third-round opponent at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will be capable American Sam Querrey, who upended 28th-seeded Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
The eighth-seeded Murray posted a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 win over German Matthias Bachinger in the night session at Ashe Stadium. The Brit won this Grand Slam tournament in 2012.
Meanwhile, fifth-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic prevailed in four tight sets against German Peter Gojowczyk.
Ninth-seeded former Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France cruised past Kazakhstan's Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 and 10th-seeded Japanese star Kei Nishikori was leading Pablo Andujar 6-4, 6-1 when the Spaniard retired on Day 4.
American hopeful John Isner pumped 30 aces in tackling German Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-2. The 13th seed's third-round opponent will be another German, Philipp Kohlschreiber.
The 22nd-seeded Kohlschreiber was leading veteran French left-hander Michael Llodra 6-2 after one set when the 34-year-old Llodra retired because of a left arm injury in what is his final U.S. Open. Llodra was a career 10-11 in Flushing and reached the fourth round here 10 years ago.
Additionally, 16th-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo rallied from two sets down to beat Italian Simone Bolelli and Argentine Leonardo Mayer, seeded 23rd at this fortnight, blew past Aussie Matthew Ebden in three sets.
Also advancing were Russian Andrey Kuznetsov, Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta, Australian Nick Kyrgios and Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic.
Kuznetsov outlasted Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, the 31st seed, in five sets and will next play Murray.
