Andy Murray shut out the New York noise and the game of Marcel Granollers of Spain with a 6-4 6-1 6-4 win to reach the third round of the US Open.
The Wimbledon and Olympic champion ground down the world number 45 in a match involving numerous lung-busting rallies and played under a cacophony of sound with the $150 million roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium court closed.
At times, the players could barely hear the ball off their strings and the rain hammering on the roof was almost deafening but second seed Murray kept calm to clinch a convincing victory.
"At first we didn't know if there was just more people come in at the change of ends, but then we quickly realised it was the rain," Murray said.
"It was tough, you couldn't really hear the ball which makes it tricky. But we're lucky to play under the roof; otherwise there wouldn't be any tennis so it's good for everyone."
Murray led 5-2 in the first set only for Granollers to hit back but the Scot won a game lasting more than 10 minutes to break and clinch it on his seventh set point.
After breaking for 3-1 in the second set, Murray pulled away to double his lead and he broke in the ninth game of the third to earn victory.
Murray, the champion in 2012 and chasing a fourth grand slam title, will now play either 30th seed Gilles Simon or unseeded Italian Paolo Lorenzi.
Kei Nishikori battled for the second match in succession before claiming his place in the third round.
The sixth-seeded Japanese, the runner-up in New York in 2014, dropped his second set but came through 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-3 against 20-year-old Russian qualifier Karen Khachanov.
A rain delay of around three hours, which came at 4-4 in the third set, helped Nishikori regroup and he eased away to victory on the resumption.
"Especially in the third set he was playing really well, serving well," said Nishikori, who next plays Frenchman Nicolas Mahut.
"I had some chances before the rain delay, but it wasn't easy. After the delay I was playing good tennis. I am happy to win today."
Juan Martin del Potro advanced to round three after a 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 6-2 victory over American Steve Johnson.
The Argentinian is unseeded in New York but considered a dark horse for the title after reaching the final of the Olympics last month, where he lost out to Andy Murray.
Del Potro won the US Open in 2009 but a chronic wrist injury caused him to miss nine grand slams in a row before he made a comeback at Wimbledon this year.
The 27-year-old's win over Johnson was the last match of the night session in Arthur Ashe Stadium and, while he was facing a local favourite, he was also touched by the support he received.
Stan Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios and Dominic Thiem are also safely through, but world number 28 Alexander Zverev is out after losing in four sets to Britain's Dan Evans.
