Tsonga suffers letdown, Djokovic defeats Simon

<a href="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/597975header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.images.core.optasports.com/news/tennis/2014/8/13/597975header.jpg" /></a>Rogers Cup winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered a letdown at the Western and Southern Open on Tuesday, while Novak Djokovic progressed.<br /> <br /> Tsonga, whose Masters tournament win in Toronto on Sunday was his second career success at ATP 1000 level, was humbled by Russia's Mikhail Youzhny 6-1 6-4 in the first round in Cincinnati.<br /> <br /> The Frenchman edged back into the ATP's top 10 after beating Roger Federer in the Toronto final, but Tsonga's booming serve let him down against Youzhny.<br /> <br /> Tsonga served at 52 per cent, but he won just seven of 23 points behind his second ball as the 25th-ranked Youzhny progressed.<br /> <br /> Youzhny now has a positive head-to-head record against Tsonga, although the win was only his second via match point - accounting for retirements.<br /> <br /> Tsonga was the only seeded casualty in Ohio, as top seed Djokovic and third seed Stan Wawrinka both negotiated their second-round matches.<br /> <br /> Serbia's Djokovic staved off the plucky Gilles Simon of France 6-3 4-6 6-4, while Swiss Wawrinka dispatched of German qualifier Benjamin Becker 6-3 7-6 (7-5).<br /> <br /> The pair are the first players through to the last 16 of the hard-court tournament, which serves as the penultimate warm-up event to the US Open starting later in August.<br /> <br /> In more first-round results, seeds Ernests Gulbis (nine), Roberto Bautista Agut (13) and Marin Cilic (14) advanced.<br /> <br /> Latvia's Gulbis took two hours to down Croatian Ivan Dodig in straight sets, winning 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-4).<br /> <br /> Bautista Agut, of Spain, clawed his way past Slovakian lefty Martin Klizan 6-2 4-6 7-5, while Croatia's Cilic dismissed another left-hander, Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, 6-3 6-4.<br /> <br /> Frenchman Julien Benneteau saved two match points to fend off lucky loser Blaz Rola of Slovenia 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 7-6 (9-7).<br /> <br /> Similarly, Canada's Vasek Pospisil denied Czech veteran Radek Stepanek thrice on match point before posting a 5-7 6-1 7-6 (7-4) triumph.<br /> <br /> American wildcards Robby Ginepri and Steve Johnson both capitalised on their chances in the main draw with first-up wins.<br /> <br /> Ginepri battled past rising Austrian star Dominic Thiem 6-3 5-7 7-5, while Johnson was handed a straightforward 6-4 6-1 win over Benoit Paire courtesy of a poor performance from the French qualifier.<br /> <br /> Italy's Andreas Seppi overcame a deficit to defeat Colombian Santiago Giraldo 4-6 6-2 7-5.<br /> <br /> Down a set and at 2-2 in the second, Seppi reeled off eight straight games to earn a 4-0 lead in the decider - only to narrowly avoid a tie-break as Giraldo finished strongly.<br /> <br /> British qualifier James Ward hit eight aces as he defeated Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 3-6 6-1.

Cincinnati Jo-Wilfried Tsonga news sports Rogers Cup tennis Tsonga suffers letdown, Djokovic defeats Simon

Rogers Cup winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered a letdown at the Western and Southern Open on Tuesday, while Novak Djokovic progressed. Tson...

Read more »