Pavić and Arévalo Survive US Open Drama, Win Decisive Tiebreak 10-1

Mate Pavić and Marcelo Arévalo needed a dramatic deciding tiebreak to open their US Open campaign with a win. The third seeds defeated Britain’s Luke Johnson and Poland’s Jan Zieliński 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (10-1).

Pavić and Arévalo faced no break points in the third set, but they missed a match point in the 12th game. They recovered in the extended tiebreak, surrendering only one point and closing the match with eight straight points.

They will face the American pairing of Mac Kiger and Aleksandar Kovačević for a place in the last 16.

Another Croatian, Nikola Mektić, also reached the second round with American partner Austin Krajicek. They beat Poland’s Filip Pieczonka and the Netherlands’ Bart Stevens 6-1, 7-6 (1), and next face Americans Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac.