Novak Djokovic

NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (UPI) — Former runner-up Novak Djokovic beat former world No. 3 Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 Tuesday in the first-round of the U.S. Open tennis.

The fourth-seeded Djokovic, the 2008 Australian Open champion, was the 2007 U.S. Open runner-up to Roger Federer.

Former Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced to the second round with a 6-0, 6-2, 6-1 victory over 18-year-old American Chase Buchanan.

Spaniard Fernando Verdasco beat German Benjamin Becker 7-5, 6-4, 7-5; Czech Tomas Berdych beat American Wayne Odesnik 7-5, 6-4, 6-4; and Serb Viktor Troicki defeated Australian Peter Luczak 6-3, 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 6-1.

In a Day 2 upset, 26-year-old Jesse Witten beat Russian Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.

The first round will conclude Wednesday, including matches for third-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal, sixth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina and former world No. 1 Marat Safin of Russia. Nadal is the reigning Australian Open champion and owns six major titles. Safin won the U.S. Open in 2000.