US Open: Nadal beats Lajovic to reach round two - reaction

And it's packed...

With heavy rain decimating today's schedule outside the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof, it's going to be a busy one tomorrow.

The three Britons remaining in the tournament are all in action. Aljaz Bedene will play his first-round match against Andrey Rublev on court eight at about 19:00 BST. Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie - both already in the second round - will be much later. Edmund takes on Steve Johnson not before 21:00, although as it's the fifth match on Louis Armstrong it's likely to be quite a way after that. Norrie plays Pablo Carreno Busta on court six, again not before 21:00 BST.

As for the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Maria Sharapova is the third match on against Hungary's Timea Babos.

You can have a look at the whole thing here.

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Rafael Nadal fires some balls to the back rows of the Arthur Ashe cauldron.

That was a decent work-out and he got it done in time to clear the court in time for French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, 3-1 up in the third, to conclude her match against Spain's Lara Arruabarrena on the main stage.

That is one of only three more matches that are going to be finished today with Madison Keys v Elise Mertens and Roger Federer v Francis Tiafoe under the Ashe roof while the rain falls outside.

Top seed Rafael Nadal, speaking on Ashe after his first-round win: "It was tough at the beginning, he was playing well and not making many mistakes and I felt he was controlling the points too many times.

"At the end of that first set it was important to get the break point back and I played a good point at 6-6, then hit a good winner to win the set. Then everything was changing.

"I need to keep improving, but the first round is never easy, there are nerves out here when you play in his amazing place. Always at the beginning you want to do it well.

"I feel a lot of support here from the crowd so I want to say thanks. It is a pleasure to be back and I feel the energy here."

Dusan Lajovic gives us a game for old times, walloping a couple of fine backhand winners.

But his time in the limelight is fast fading...

The cumulative total for the second and third set has only just exceeded the 64 minutes that the first set chewed up.

Those dog days seem long ago for Dusan Lajovic.

Rafael Nadal brings up a 30-40 flavour break point with a backhand return that is fizzing with spin and smears straight through the paint and out of reach.

That cleared the net by fag paper. A trompe l'oeil of a shot, it seemed simultaneously short and long and, in the end, was perfect.

Another sublime winner and Dusan Lajovic is on the canvas, if not yet counted out.

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Nadal pockets another break point, whisking it away from Dusan Lajovic like a master magician.

An arcing ace, cleaving to the centre-line, pulls the Serb all out of shape and brings up game point for Nadal.

A forehand exchange and Lajovic comes out the wrong side of the rate, punting long.

Well, well, well.

Just when you think you have got out, Dusan Lajovic pulls you back in again.

The Serb has 15-40 on the Rafael Nadal serve as the Spaniard plonks wide.

But Rafa runs wide and far, racking up major court miles, to save both break points.

That's more like it. Dusan Lajovic isn't ready to pack up and head to hang out in the Meatpacking District just yet. The Serb rediscovers his service game to get his side of the scoreboard ticking in the third.

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Rafa Nadal rattles through to 40-0 as he looks to consolidate the break, although a double fault threatens to check his progress. Is this a mere speed bump or a full-on road block?

A rogue forehand is another obstacle, leading some arm gestures from Rafa that wouldn't look out of place in a Macarena dance.

But a service winner down the middle leaves Lajovic flat-footed.

How long are we giving this one then? Done inside half an hour? French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko will be limbering up in the locker room, her match against Spain's Lara Arruabarrena set to continue on Ashe ahead of the night session remember. A Brucie bonus.

Dusan Lajovic starts again on that uphill run. Only now it is even steeper. The Serb has never come back from two sets to love down.

Nadal moves 30-15 with a rip-roaring forehand down the line, then sees two break points fall into his lap when Lajovic cracks a forehand long. We didn't see those errors in the first set.

A forehand winner from the baseline saves one of them... but he can't repeat the trick. Rafa cruising.

Dusan Lajovic frames a forehand return into the rafters and he slips 30-0 behind.

That is not a whole lot better as he pumps long for 40-0.

Nadal, with as comfy a cushion as it gets, flashes forehands long and then into the net to give the Serb a sniff at 40-30.

Then an ace. And solid and final as a coffin clout.

Second set cashed. Third in the post?

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Dusan Lajovic keeps his cards on the table, but Rafael Nadal serves for the second next and the odds of him missing are slim to none.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

Rafael Nadal whistles though his service game as cheerfully as Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins.

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.

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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?

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Oh Rafa.

A double-fault choke on the pivotal point. The crowd gasp and the drama goes on...

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And Rafael Nadal breaks ahead once more. This to finish it...

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...

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.

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...

Dusan Lajovic survives to make the shoot-out.