US Open 2014: Roger Federer and Serena Williams race through

Federer beat Marinko Matosevic, a player known as 'Mad Dog'

Five-time US Open champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams were both in impressive form as they swept past their first-round opponents.

Swiss second seed Federer took two hours and 26 minutes to see off Marinko Matosevic, beating the Australian world number 76 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-4).

Top women's seed Williams also produced a dominant performance against fellow American Taylor Townsend.

The defending champion took 55 minutes to secure a one-sided 6-3 6-1 win.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and runner-up Eugenie Bouchard also raced to victory.

Kvitova outclassed France's Kristina Mladenovic 6-1 6-0 and Bouchard thumped Bulgaria's Olga Govortsova 6-2 6-1.

The third seed from the Czech Republic took just 54 minutes as she sailed into round two and Canadian seventh seed Bouchard needed only five minutes longer.

Eighth seed Ana Ivanovic was another who won comfortably, beating American Alison Riske 6-3 6-0 in 65 minutes, while Sam Stosur was a 6-1 6-4 winner over Laura Davis.

Men's fourth seed David Ferrer dropped a set as he beat Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia-Hercegovina 6-1 6-2 2-6 6-2.

But the Spaniard, a semi-finalist at Flushing Meadows in 2007 and 2012, still wrapped up his victory in only two hours and 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, American 13th seed John Isner overcame Marcos Giron 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 7-6 (7-2) and Sam Querrey followed his compatriot into the second round, ultimately proving too strong for Argentine Maximo Gonzalez in a 6-2 4-6 6-4 4-6 6-3 win.

Ana Ivanovic beat Serena Williams in the fourth round of the Australian Open this year

Arthur Ashe Stadium

Ana Ivanovic (SRB) (8) beat Alison Riske (USA) 6-3 6-0

"It was very tough first-round match, I knew that coming into it," said Ivanovic, the former world number one who returned to the top 10 for the first time in five years earlier this month. "She had a good run last week, so I really tried to start sharp and tried to play my game to put pressure on her. It took a little bit to adjust. I was very pleased, especially the way I finished the second set.

John Isner (USA) (13) beat Marcos Giron (USA) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 7-6 (7-2)

Petra Kvitova (Cze) (3) beat Kristina Mladenovic (Fra) 6-1 6-0

"I'm very happy. First round is always nerves," said Kvitova. "It was the same before this match - when I woke up, I started to feel nervous. I was just glad how I played. I remember 2011 when I lost my first round after winning Wimbledon."

Roger Federer (Swi) (2) beat Marinko Matosevic (Aus) 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-4)

"Marinko has got a big game, I was never quite sure what to expect," said Federer after beating a player who is known as 'Mad Dog'. "I'm happy I came through. It was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be in the third set when I had a break. But it's always good to win tie-breaks."

Serena Williams won the US Open in 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012 and 2013

Serena Williams (USA) (1) beat Taylor Townsend (USA) 6-3 6-1

Williams, who is chasing her third consecutive US Open title, said: "I love coming out to play here. This was the first slam I won and I love to come back. I never want it to stop."

Louis Armstrong Stadium

Sam Querrey (USA) beat Maximo Gonzalez (Arg) 6-2 4-6 6-4 4-6 6-3

Asked if this tournament was important for American players to prove they are not also-rans, Querrey said: "That's not on my mind, but it is important. It's the last Grand Slam of the year, only one in our country. It's the one I think all of us would like to win more than the others. It would be great if not only one of us could make a run but a couple of us, or three or four of us and really boost American men's tennis."

Eugenie Bouchard (Can) (7) beat Olga Govortsova (Blr) 6-2 6-1

"Obviously I would have liked more matches, but that's the way it is sometimes," explained Bouchard, who has suffered from knee and hamstring injuries since losing the Wimbledon final and has won only one match in three events. "I feel like I practised well before, and that was the best I could do at that moment. I'm definitely feeling healthier than I have the past few weeks."

David Ferrer (Spa) (4) beat Damir Dzumhur (BiH) 6-1 6-2 2-6 6-2

Madison Keys (USA) (27) beat Jarmila Gajdosova (Aus) 6-0 6-3

Grandstand

Sam Stosur (Aus) (24) beat Lauren Davis (USA) 6-1 6-4

Pablo Andujar (Esp) beat Jock Sock (USA) 6-4 3-6 6-1 0-0 (Sock retired)

Victoria Azarenka has a quiet word with herself during her win over Misaki Doi

Victoria Azarenka (Bel) (16) beat Misaki Doi (Jpn) 6-7 (7-3), 6-4 6-1

"I'm my own toughest opponent - so I talk to myself, I curse at myself, I pump myself up," said Azarenka, the losing finalist at the US Open in 2012 and 2013, after being asked about the frequent pep-talks she gave herself during her win. "I don't really give a damn how it looks. Whatever helps me to be out there and fight and give my best on every single point, that's what I'm going to do."

Gael Monfils (Fra) (20) beat Jared Donaldson (USA) 6-4 6-2 6-4

Britwatch

Heather Watson was completely outplayed as she lost 6-1 6-1 to Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the first round.

Full report

Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins, the British pair who reached the quarter-finals of the men's doubles at the US Open in 2012, saw their challenge ended in the first round this year by Daniel Nestor of Canada and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia. The third seeds triumphed 6-4 6-3 in 84 minutes.

Britain's Dom Inglot and his partner Treat Huey, from the Philippines, also bowed out in round one. The 14th seeds were beaten 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-2 in one hour and 46 minutes by Germany's Benjamin Becker and Artem Sitak of New Zealand.

Kids in America

CiCi Bellis (USA) beat Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) (12) 6-1 4-6 6-4

Full report

Borna Coric, who came through qualifying, celebrates after beating Lukas Rosol in round one

Borna Coric (Cro) beat Lukas Rosol (Cze) (29) 6-4 6-1 6-2

"I was only thinking about getting in the main draw - that was my first goal," said the 17-year-old, who won the junior title at Flushing Meadows in 2013 and is now ranked 204 in the world. "Now actually winning against a guy who's top 30 or close, it's just unbelievable. All the things are going to be a little bit easier now."

Coric's next opponent is Victor Estrella Burgos, the Dominican Republic's first Grand Slam participant who is also making his US Open debut - at the age of 34.

Quotes of the day

Gordon Bellis, father of CiCi, on the rules he has to follow when he is courtside watching his 15-year-old daughter play: "I'm told I cannot sigh and I cannot move or say anything because that distracts her, so I just have to sit there like a Sphinx and just smile and pray. She hears me when I sigh. So I can't sigh."

Ana Ivanovic gets a bit deep in her press conference: "I really enjoy psychology. I think it's amazing what the human mind can or cannot do depending on how you perceive situations. I think it never exhausts."

"I'm taking art history, writing, astrology... astronomy, sorry." American teenager Noah Rubin, who was beaten by Federico Del Bonis in straight sets in the first round, on his studies.

Eugenie Bouchard does not mince her words. "I never had any Canadian tennis influences. I looked up to the best: Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova. I remember watching Monica Seles playing. Any great champions I looked up to."

John Isner is in no doubt which rule he'd like to change in tennis. "I'd go to a tiebreaker in all fifth sets of Slams. That's for certain. For me, it would be good. Simple as that."

Michael Jordan: From Fed selfie to courtside fan

Michael Jordan chats to Mirka Federer during Roger Federer's first-round match

Roger Federer had another sporting superstar supporting him after meeting basketball legend Michael Jordan for the first time this week.

Federer, who had a poster of Jordan on his wall as a boy, posted a selfie of the pair of them together on Twitter on Monday, and then invited his boyhood hero into his courtside box to cheer him on during his first-round match with Australia's Marinko Matosevic on Tuesday.

"It's just amazing having Michael here,'' Federer said afterwards. "Growing up he was my big sporting idol - having him here is unbelievably special."

Despite his defeat, Matosevic seemed to enjoy having Jordan watching him too, pointing at him and yelling "I want to be like Mike," as the match slipped away from him.