Cincinnati: Zverev, Tsitsipas ousted on day of ATP upsets

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev joined Kei Nishikori in the exit lounge, with the trio of top-five seeds all bundled out of the second round of the Cincinnati Masters on an upset-riddled Wednesday.

Greek third seed Tsitsipas was stunned by Jan Lennard-Struff 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (8-6), despite saving three match points.

Struff will play Daniil Medvedev next after the Russian seventh seed — the highest seed to win on Wednesday — conquered France’s Benoit Paire 7-6(2) 6-1.

“I had a chance to serve it out at 6-4 5-4 but he broke back and that’s the quality he has,” Struff said.

“The quality I had today was coming back from that, the chance to win the match in two sets, then at 6-3 in the (third-set) tiebreak and then from 6-6. He was playing very well. I was telling myself ‘I have to go for it, otherwise I won’t win’.

“I’ve been working hard with my team on my fitness and it’s all finally paying off and I’m playing with greater consistency.”

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Zverev, seeded No.5, served 20 double faults in a three-set loss to 19-year-old qualifier Miomir Kecmanovic.

The German has endured a poor season and this was another low point, with Kecmanovic benefiting from Zverev’s wayward serving in a 6-7(4) 6-2 6-4 victory — his first over a top-10 player.

Mio-MY! ????

Miomir Kecmanovic notches his first career Top 10 win, 6-7(4) 6-2 6-4 over Alexander Zverev at #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/Zeyp7YvD70

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2019

“It means a lot because I also broke into the Top 50 today. So it’s a really special moment for me,” Kecmanovic told atptour.com.

“I’m really happy that I was able to play the way I did. I worked a lot, I practised a lot. To see everything come together and happen, it’s really special.

“I definitely just tried to go for everything. I had nothing to lose, really. He was the favourite, and it obviously helped me that he didn’t serve as well as he does usually.

“I tried to stay calm. I tried to just use my chances and thankfully it paid off.”

Fourth seed Nishikori, who complained of breathing problems, was shown the door after being stunned by compatriot and close friend Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6(2) 6-4.

“I was so excited to play with him,” Nishioka said. “I was nervous at the beginning. But also, I could see he was nervous too. So I think we were both tight. Maybe I was playing more aggressive than him.”

All heart ??????@yoshihitotennis | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/mgivN5XNSn

— ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) August 14, 2019

Nishioka will face Australia’s Alex de Minaur — who beat American wildcard Reilly Opelka 7-6(3) 6-4 — in a now wide-open bottom half of the draw, where eighth-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut is the highest seed remaining.

Stan Wawrinka was ousted 6-4 6-4 by qualifier Andrey Rublev, whose victory set up a clash with Roger Federer in the last 16.

In other results, Belgian 13th seed David Goffin beat Argentina Guido Pella 6-1 7-5 and Frenchman Richard Gasquet edged Argentine Federico Delbonis 7-5 7-6(1) to set up a match with Diego Schwartzman, who defeated Radu Albot 6-4 6-2.

Gasquet’s compatriots Lucas Pouille and Adrian Mannarino also advanced to the third round.

Bautista Agut beats Tiafoe 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 and reach the 3rd round in Cincinnati.

He is the highest ranked player of the bottom half after the 2nd round.

Bautista-Kecmanovic
Gasquet-Schwartzman

De Minaur-Nishioka
Goffin-Mannarino

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 15, 2019