The players seeded in the top four at the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters Open were just arriving to the Lindner Family Tennis Center on Tuesday, but most other players were already playing their first or second match.
American John Isner defeated Lukasz Kubot 6-2, 6-3, using his serve and forehand to overcome his first round opponent in about an hour.
Isner will play David Nalbandian, whom he has never played in a tournament, in the second round.
Nalbandian took about the same amount of time to beat out the No. 15 seed from Croatia, Ivan Ljubicic, 7-5, 6-0.
Frenchman Richard Gasquet looked to be the victim of another quick match earlier in the day as he dropped the first set, 6-2, to Mikhail Youzhny of Russia.
The two traded shots from the baseline, but Youzhny’s consistent ground strokes were too much for Gasquet in the opening set.
Gasquet became more consistent in the second, winning it 6-4, before prevailing 6-1 in the third to wrap up the match.
The biggest upset of the day came when Gael Monfils lost in straight sets to Alejandro Falla of Colombia.
Despite having many French fans encouraging him with “Allez Monfils” throughout the match, the No. 16 seed committed too many unforced errors to give Falla a challenge.
Monfils was upset in the same round last year, when he lost to unseeded Ivo Karlovic in three sets.
For complete results, draws and schedules of the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters Open, visit cincytennis.com.
