Reuters
Cincinnati, August 19: Roger Federer returned from a month-long lay-off with a 6-4, 6-4 second round victory over Roberto Bautista Agut at the Cincinnati Masters here Tuesday.
Federer had not competed since losing in the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic and he quickly shook off the rust, needing just an hour and nine minutes to beat Agut.
“I have things in mind to work on for the hard-court season. Number one, you have to be fit and tough, because you can stop on a dime and move the other direction, which on other surfaces is not so easy to do,” Federer said after his match.
Earlier, controversial Australian Nick Kyrgios, was crushed 6-2, 6-1 by Richard Gasquet in their first round match.
Kyrgios appeared distracted for much of a one-sided contest and summoned the trainer for treatment on his back before he was swept aside in just under an hour.
Gasquet, the 12th seed, converted four of his six break points before sealing victory with his fourth ace of the match and will next face 19-year-old Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis.
In other matches Tuesday, Sam Querrey beat fellow American John Isner 6-3, 7-6(7-3) in a first round match-up of big servers and Croatian Borna Coric scraped past Alexander Zverev of Germany 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7-5).
Querrey will next face Spaniard Tommy Robredo, a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 winner against fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar.
Spaniard left-hander Fernando Verdasco came from a set down to battle past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 after two hours and 15 minutes.
Lee-Stan in quarters
Cincinnati: Leander Paes and Stan Wawrinka shocked 2014 Wimbledon champions Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock to make it to the doubles quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Masters here Tuesday. The unseeded Indo-Swiss pair eked out a hard fought 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 10-3 win over Canadian-American team in the second round of the USD 4,457,065 hard court tournament.