Nadal holdspublished at 21:22 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 5-1 *Lajovic
Rafael Nadal is rolling towards the second set and, after than brief break-back bump, Dusan Lajovic does not have much to offer in the way of resistance.
Summary
Rafael Nadal beats Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 6-2 under roof on Ashe
All outside court matches bar one cancelled on day two - rain
Defending women's champion Kerber loses 6-3 6-1 to teenager Osaka
Top seed Pliskova beats Linette 6-2 6-1
Nadal holdspublished at 21:22 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Postpublished at 21:21 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 4-1 Lajovic
Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Flushing MeadowsLajovic gets that boost of getting the break back and then Rafa refocuses. It's tough for Lajovic to get a run together when Rafa is in this mood. Obviously he has so much more quality.
Image source, AFPNadal breakspublished at 21:19 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 4-1 Lajovic
Rafael Nadal looked royally ticked off with himself for coughing up that break in the previous game.
His recovery job was straight from the Liam Neeson-in-Taken playbook.
Doors kicked in, extras splatted and no mercy shown.
Lajovic's service game is routed and the double-break restored.
Lajovic breakspublished at 21:15 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 3-1 *Lajovic
Rafael Nadal comes off the boil as Dusan Lajovic, a double break down and with little to lose, shoots from the hip and scores a hit.
Image source, AFPPostpublished at 21:13 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 3-0 Lajovic
Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Flushing MeadowsLajovic has had a slight mental dip of disappointment so that means he is not quite as precise with his footwork or contact points.
Nadal locked down into a really good focused spell there. Rafa is resurgent and will probably get better and better as this match goes on.
Nadal breakspublished at 21:10 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 3-0 Lajovic
This is going south rather sharpish for Dusan Lajovic who has seen Rafael Nadal engage a gear he just doesn't have and roared off into the distance.
Image source, Getty ImagesLajovic taken to deucepublished at 21:09 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 2-0 *Lajovic
Rafael Nadal takes the game to deuce via an extraordinary running forehand winner from behind the baseline, way out wide and around his ear lobes.
A sublime shot.
Grounds cleared by washoutpublished at 21:06 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Flushing MeadowsWhile Nadal toils away inside Ashe, I can confirm that it continues to resemble the British grass-court season outside. For the few not sheltering in one of the official US Open stores, the rammed public bar or under the food court umbrellas, all they can do is hope to squeeze into the stadium or head for the subway.
Image source, BBC SportNadal holdspublished at 21:06 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 2-0 *Lajovic
Rafael Nadal whistles though his service game as cheerfully as Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins.
Postpublished at 21:04 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 1-0 Lajovic
Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Flushing MeadowsDusan Lajovic has played some of his best tennis tennis here and he knows Rafa, despite not being at his best, is still leading.
Of course it will be disappointing. He must think Rafa will play better in this next set.
Nadal breakspublished at 21:02 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 7-6 (8-6) 1-0 Lajovic
Rafael Nadal looks like dumbbells have been lifted from his racquet arm.
Suddenly he is swinging longer and looser, clouting the fuzz off the little yellow fella.
A break and squeak of delight.
Image source, AFPPostpublished at 21:00 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 7-6 (8-6) Lajovic
Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Flushing MeadowsBefore the match we were talking about the match-up and how difficult it would be for Lajovic. He got four games the last time they played in a five-set match and here he got to a tie-break. He did that by playing terrific tennis.
But we've seen it time and time again, the top guys find a way to play an extra ball and pick the right shot at the right time under pressure.
Rafa, by sheer hard work and determination, rather than quality finds himself a set up.
Game and first setpublished at 20:54 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 7-6 (8-6) Lajovic
The first set finishes with a familiar sight as Rafael Nadal body punches thin air and roars from deep within.
But it has been an unexpected route to a 1-0 Nadal lead.
Dusan Lajovic has pushed him every step over a 64-minute opener.
Is that the Serb's spirit broken?
Image source, AFPPostpublished at 20:54 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 6-6 (6-6) Lajovic
Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Flushing MeadowsHow utterly bizarre this set has been. Nadal's level has been inconsistent across this set.
Double fault!published at 20:53 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 6-6 (6-6) Lajovic
Oh Rafa.
A double-fault choke on the pivotal point. The crowd gasp and the drama goes on...
Image source, AFPTie-break and set pointpublished at 20:52 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 6-6 (6-5) Lajovic
And Rafael Nadal breaks ahead once more. This to finish it...
Tie-breakpublished at 20:51 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 6-6 (5-4) *Lajovic
Dusan Lajovic is still thrashing and fighting in this shoot-out. A delicious backhand for 4-3 and he is just a mini-break down still.
Rafael Nadal guides a forehand into open court for 5-3.
And Lajovic has the mini-break back as Nadal nudges wide. 5-4 with two Serb serves to come...
Postpublished at 20:50 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 6-6 (4-2) *Lajovic
Leon Smith
Great Britain Davis Cup captain on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra at Flushing MeadowsWho knows how Rafa's body is. There were some rumours that his knee is troubling him. If it was there was maybe an example of that in the last point. It is the loading on a wide ball and on an open ball you need a wide stance and a couple of times it looked like he was not loading as usual to give him the balance to get the power.
Image source, Getty ImagesTie-breakpublished at 20:48 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
Nadal 6-6 (4-2) *Lajovic
Dusan Lajovic nibbles back one of the mini-breaks with a cracking backhand for 3-1.
Oh, and that could have been parity...
Lajovic has Nadal at sixes and seven with a high-kick into his backhand, but he cannot find the killer punch. 4-1.
Lajovic holds his first service point before the change of ends. 4-2.
Tie-breakpublished at 20:46 British Summer Time 29 August 2017
*Nadal 6-6 (3-0) Lajovic
Dusan Lajovic flops a forehand wide on his first service point to give Rafael Nadal a mini-break at 2-0.
Double mini (does that make a maxi?) break for Nadal as the Serb buries a shot into the gauze.
3-0 and Nadal has this breaker by the short and curlies...