No.2 seed Roger Federer hardly raised a sweat to stroll to an easy win over Brian Dabul in his opening round US Open match on Monday.
In the featured night match on the Arthur Ashe Centre Court, Federer cruised to a 6-1 6-4 6-2 win that now ensures his place in the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London in November.
Federer, seeking to regain the crown he lost to Juan Martin del Potro last year after five consecutive US Open titles, never hit top gear in his win over Dabul, but still managed 18 aces in a total of 46 winners - one of which was a through-the-legs masterstroke at which his Argentinean opponent could only roll his eyes.
The Swiss meastro converted only five of his 19 break-point chances for the match, but was never in trouble against the former world No.1 junior player who only had a solitary break point in the encounter, one which he failed to convert.
"I've never lost a night session match here and feel very much at home," Federer said after his win.
"(I have) been in six straight finals and would like to be there again this year, but the path is long and rough."
"I missed many break chances but credit to Brian, too. It was his first time on centre court at a major."
Federer will face Andreas Beck in the second round on Wednesday in what will be his first match against the German on the ATP tour
In the women's, two-time US Open champion Venus Williams showed signs of injury in her Round 1 triumph over Italian Roberta Vinci 6-4 6-1 on Monday.
The third-seeded Williams is the only American seed in the women's main draw due to sister Serena's absence at the tournament with a foot injury, and cruised through her opening match in style in with 32 winners.
But Venus too showed signs of discomfort in her left leg in what was her first competitive match since losing in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon to Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.
"I landed on that leg on the swing volley," Williams said.
Williams still managed to not to win and win comfortably, despite some Vinci resistance when Williams led 3-0 in the first set to peg the American back at 4-4.
"I was playing against a tough opponent today. She hits that slice so well. She didn't make a lot of errors ... so I was really happy to get through after not playing in forever," Williams said.
Williams will play Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino on Wednesday after she accounted for Ksenia Pervak in three tight sets 6-4 4-6 7-5.
China's 21st seed Jie Zheng won a tight battle against Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 7-6 (7-0) 7-6 (7-1).
Zheng will face Ana Ivanovic in a stand-out second-round clash, after the Serb accounted for Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets 6-3 6-2.
Belarussian Victoria Azarenka did not have it all her own way in the first round for a change, as she battled past Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-0 5-7 6-1.
The 10th seed had dropped just five sets in her last 16 Round 1 Grand Slam matches, so it was rare to see her lose one to the 93rd-ranked Niculescu.
Italian Flavia Pennetta - the women's 19th seed at Flushing Meadows - made short work of American Irina Falconi 6-2 6-1, wrapping up the match in 51 minutes.
Vania King won an all-American battle against Christina McHale 6-3 0-6 6-1 and will now face Daniela Hantuchova in the second round.