US Open 2018: Stan Wawrinka beats Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets
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Stan Wawrinka won the US Open in 2016 before having surgery on his left knee
Swiss wildcard Stan Wawrinka beat eighth seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 6-2 7-5 in the first round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Wawrinka, the 2016 champion, had two knee operations last year and was unable to defend his title in 2017.
It is the second consecutive Grand Slam in which Wawrinka, 33, has beaten Dimitrov in round one, having come from a set down to win at Wimbledon in July.
Dimitrov converted only one of eight break points on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
"The last time I played on this great court I won the title, so it was great to be able to come back and play again," said Wawrinka.
"The level was really high. There were lots of emotions out there. It's always tough to play your best in the first round."
Three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka - ranked 101st in the world - will face Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the second round.
Elsewhere, 31st seed Fernando Verdasco beat fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-2 7-5 6-4 to set up a second-round meeting with Britain's Andy Murray, who defeated Australian James Duckworth 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5 6-3.
Wimbledon finalist and last year's US Open runner-up Kevin Anderson looked to be heading for an early exit when suffering from cramp and two sets to one down against American Ryan Harrison. But the South African recovered to win 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Wimbledon semi-finalist John Isner, the 11th seed, saw off fellow American Bradley Klahn 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-4.
Canadian 25th seed Milos Raonic beat Argentine Carlos Berlocq 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 1-6 6-3 to set up a tie with Frenchman Gilles Simon, while Australian world number 98 Jason Kubler defeated 19th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 6-3 6-4.
Argentine third seed and 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro beat American qualifier Donald Young 6-0 6-3 6-4 and Austria's Dominic Thiem defeated Mirza Basic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-3 6-1 6-4.
'It's tough, he's a brother to me'
Aliassime said he has suffered from heart palpitations before
There was an emotional and premature end to the match between Canadian teenagers Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Auger-Aliassime, 18, received medical treatment during the first changeover in the third set, complaining that his heart was racing. He retired after playing two more games, with Shapovalov leading 7-5 5-7 4-1.
Shapovalov, 19, consoled his compatriot and close friend as they walked off the court.
"I saw he was really struggling. It's tough to keep pounding at it when he's a brother to me. Obviously I want the best for him, for him to be healthy," Shapovalov said.
"It was tough to see him go down like that. We grew up together. I think I've known him since I was seven or eight.
"I told him at the net hopefully one day we'll be playing in the finals of this tournament. I told him to keep his head up. We're going to have so many matches together."
Reading a statement at the post-match news conference, Auger-Aliassime said: "At the changeover my heart rate went up. It is something I've had before - not quite sure on the reasons now.
"I wasn't able to keep going. I was trying to get some time to put it down but it didn't happen so I had to stop. It was bad."