Flushing Meadows, NY - Top seed Novak Djokovic beat Argentinas Diego Schwartzman in three sets Monday night in their first-round match at the U.S. Open. Djokovic started his quest for an eighth Grand Slam title with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win in the final match of the night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Wimbledon champion Djokovic has a run of four straight finals at the Open, including a championship in 2011 against Rafael Nadal. Djokovic lost last year to Nadal, but the Spaniard isnt defending his title this year due to a right wrist injury. Playing his first career tour-level main draw match on hard courts, the 22- year-old Schwartzman was no match for the worlds No. 1 player. The Serbian breezed through the first two sets in 56 minutes. Schwartzman won the first game of the third set and then had a chance to break, but a smiling Djokovic roared back and evened the set with an ace. There were a couple of hiccups from Djokovic, as Schwartzman broke to tie it at 3-3, but he couldnt follow it up. Djokovic broke back and then held at love before closing it out. "Its never easy to start a U.S. Open smoothly," said Djokovic, who had 27 unforced errors, three more than Schwartzman. Up next for Djokovic will be Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, who topped Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in a five-set marathon. "Im sure well both be fresh and motivated to play," Djokovic said. "Hes a very solid player from the baseline, but Ill focus on myself and hope to do as well as I did tonight." Former champion Andy Murray was tested in his first-round match Monday, while third seed Stan Wawrinka and No. 5 seed Milos Raonic won their openers in straight sets. Murray, the eighth seed and former world No. 2 star, battled cramps before holding off wily Dutchman Robin Haase 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 7-5 in 3 hours, 8 minutes. "I dont know what it was. I was cramping after 1 hour and 45 minutes," Murray said. "I didnt know what to do in the third set. I started to get it in my laterals and forearms when I was serving. I didnt know whether to conserve energy or try to finish it. "I tried to hang around and tried to play without using my legs much. I managed to get through. These slams are physically challenging, but I need to work out why it happened. It shouldnt have happened, regardless of the temperature." Murray overcame a 1-4 deficit in the fourth set to get off the court before a fifth. The two-time Grand Slam champion was the U.S. Open winner two years ago and runner-up in Flushing in 2008. His second-round opponent will be German Matthias Bachinger. Wawrinka, this years Australian Open champion, topped Czech Jiri Vesely, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3). Wawrinka, who is from Switzerland, reached his first U.S. Open semifinal last year before losing to Djokovic. The Canadian Raonic eased past Japans Taro Daniel, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7-1). Raonic, who has reached the fourth round here the last two years, is trying to build on a semifinal appearance at Wimbledon when he lost to Roger Federer. Ninth-seeded former Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France snuck past gritty Argentine Juan Monaco 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1. In other opening-day action involving seeds, No. 16 Tommy Robredo of Spain defeated Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4; promising Aussie Nick Kyrgios upended No. 21 Russian and two-time U.S. Open semifinalist Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 7-6 (7-1); No. 22 German Philipp Kohlschreiber handled Argentine Facundo Bagnis 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; No. 23 Argentine Leonardo Mayer was leading Albert Montanes 6-2, 3-0 when the Spaniard retired; Benoit Paire took out No. 24 fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; 30th seed Jeremy Chardy of France toppled Colombian Alejandro Falla, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4; and No. 31 Spaniard Fernando Verdasco outlasted Slovenian Blaz Rola 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4. Several other men moved on, including Italian players Andreas Seppi and Simone Bolelli. Federer, the second seed and five-time U.S. Open champion, plays his first- round match Tuesday night against Australian Marinko Matosevic. Federer hasnt won the U.S. Open since 2008, the last of his five consecutive championships at the event. Spains David Ferrer, the No. 4 seed, faces Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the day session at Louis Armstrong Stadium. Other seeds to see action on Tuesday include, No. 10 seed Kei Nishikori, 12th seed Richard Gasquet and 13th seed John Isner, who takes on fellow American Marcos Giron. Mike Bibby Jersey . - Urijah (The California Kid) Faber finds himself in an unaccustomed position Saturday night at UFC 175 — on the preliminary card. Wholesale Hawks Jerseys .com) - The 2014 Holiday Bowl is the first postseason venture pitting a pair of ranked foes against each other, as No. https://www.cheaphawks.com/. Amid a rain of confetti, Shabazz Napier basked in the celebration on the court after being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four following the 60-54 win over Kentucky. Evan Turner Jersey . A steady downpour and low temperatures were predicted for much of the night. No makeup date was immediately announced, although it was determined that the game will not be part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. Connie Hawkins Jersey . - Alex Dostie scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the Gatineau Olympiques to a 5-3 victory over the Drummondville Voltigeurs in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action on Sunday.VANCOUVER - Around this time last year, the Vancouver Whitecaps displayed considerable bravado as they aspired to place among the top teams in MLS. But in 2014, the Whitecaps will have a new coach, a new look and less attitude, starting with Saturdays season-opener against the powerhouse New York Red Bulls at B.C. Place Stadium. Watch the Whitecaps vs. Red Bulls live on TSN tonight at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. "Were all looking ahead with a cautious optimism," Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said before the team held its final pre-season practice Friday. The Whitecaps finished seventh in the Western Conference with a 13-12-9 record in 2013 after becoming the first Canadian team to make the playoffs the year before. New York, which features a star-studded lineup, finished first overall with a 17-9-8 mark. Carl Robinson, a former Whitecaps assistant coach, will try to excel in the top job after Martin Rennie was fired at the end of the last campaign. "Obviously, with a new coach coming in, theres going to be a transition, but hes had a full pre-season to work with a majority of the guys," said Lenarduzzi. "And then, getting the guys that weve added over the course of the pre-season, therell still be I would think a required time for players to gel and for the newer guys to get to know Carl and his coaching staff and their teammates." Robinson has brought in several new players from South America and Europe, including new designated player Pedro Morales, a Chilean midfielder who was signed earlier this week. "We dont want to put too many unrealistic expectations on him, but were hopeful that hes going to produce and well see results of that in goals and assists," said Lenarduzzi. "But ultimately what were looking for from him is to bring out the best in players around him." Other prominent newcomers include attacking Nicolas Mezquida and Sebastian Fernandez, who both hail from Uruguay, and Mattias Laba of Argentina, a designated player who was acquired from Toronto FC. Vancouvers acquisitions have paled in comparison to TFCs splashy off-season signings, but Lenarduzzi did not feel pressured to match them. "I dont think any team in the league feels the pressure to match $100 million spent on three players," he said. As a result of the changes, the Whitecaps lineup features players from 16 countries, who bring diverse skill levels, backgrounds and languages. "Football is a global sport," said Lenarduzzi. "The language barriers? I dont believe they are barriers. Obviously when you get on the field youd like to be able to communicate with your teammates. But really, if youre good players, your ability will do the talking for you." Lenarduzzi is hopeful that Robinson, 37, a former Welsh international player who toiled in England and in MLS with Toronto and New York, will be able to get his message across. Known as a strong communicator, Robinson developed close relationships with players in his assistants role and, according to Lenarduzzi, succeeded in getting them to accept what they sometimes did not like to hear about their play. "Now that hes the head coach, hes the guy where the buck stops," said Lenarduzzi. "So it wont be the same as it was the previous two years.dddddddddddd Itll be different. But Im encouraged that up until now hes maintained his willingness to communicate with the guys." Lenarduzzi also likes the fact that Robinson stresses a possession-oriented, attacking style of play while still requiring the club to display a disciplined defensive structure, and "puts a premium" on young players. "We havent kicked the ball in anger yet, so were not getting carried away," said Lenarduzzi. "We think weve got a good squad of players. But if he applies all of those things then I think weve got an opportunity to make the playoffs this year, which is really our objective." The quest for a post-season berth became more difficult following the departure of striker Camilo Sanvezzo — who led MLS with 22 goals last season — to Queretaro of the Mexican League. Camilo angered the club by donning the Mexican teams jersey while he was still a Whitecap and a transfer was eventually negotiated. "The hope is that two players or, more than likely, three players will help pick up that (scoring) slack," said Lenarduzzi. One likely source of more offence is striker Darren Mattocks, who had a disappointing sophomore season marred by injuries, inconsistent play and international absences that limited him to just three goals. Lenarduzzi also hopes to get "10-plus" goals from striker-midfielder Kekuta Manneh, a gifted 19-year-old scorer who was used sparingly in his rookie season but still found the net six times in only 764 minutes of action over 20 games. "What I dont think we want to do is heighten the expectations of Kekuta," said Lenarduzzi. "Hes a very good player, and he proved that late last season." Former Scottish international striker Kenny Miller will be expected to produce early as he plays on an unusual six-month contract that could see him leave the team in mid-season. "Kenny will need to do what he did the first half of last season and if thats the case, then certainly thats going to encourage us to keep him around," said Lenarduzzi. Striker Omar Salgado, 20, the teams first-ever MLS draft choice who has missed most of the past two seasons with foot injuries, could also help make up for Camilos absence, depending on how much playing time he can earn after his long layoff. Ultimately, Vancouvers scoring prowess could hinge on Robinson, also a former Red Bulls assistant coach, who was not managements first choice to replace Rennie. "Im excited. I really am," Robinson told reporters this week. "But Im trying to keep a calm head on my shoulders in (the dressing room) and in front of the guys." Notes: The Whitecaps loaned five players, including seventh-overall 2014 draft pick Andre Lewis, to the second-tier Charleston Battery on Friday. Lenarduzzi said the Whitecaps made the move to ensure that Lewis, a 19-year-old midfielder from Spanish Town, Jamaica, gets plenty of playing time. Strikers Mamadou Diouf and Marlon Ramirez, midfielder Aminu Abdallah and defender Jackson Farmer were also sent to Charleston. … Vancouver beat New York in their lone meeting last season. The Whitecaps are unbeaten (1-0-2) against the Red Bulls in three all-time games. ' ' '