Kyrgios, De Minaur score first-round wins at Cincinnati Masters
Nick Kyrgios and Alex de Minaur are leading the Aussie charge at an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati this week.
Cincinnati, USA, 17 August 2022 | Leigh Rogers
Nick Kyrgios and Alex de Minaur have charged into the second round at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
The Australian hopes both continued their impressive form, scoring straight-sets victories today at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Kyrgios fired 10 aces in a 7-5 6-4 first-round win against world No.37 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain.
Cool as a cucumber! 😁@NickKyrgios takes out Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5 6-4 to reach the second round in Cincinnati!@CincyTennis | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/JcGhh30iHr
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 16, 2022
“He’s a tricky player, he’s so talented, he’s got so many shots at his disposal,” said Kyrgios, who was a Cincinnati finalist in 2017. “So I knew that I just had to serve well and then dictate as much as I can.”
This improves Kyrgios’ season record in first-round matches to 11-0. The world No.28 now faces 11th-seeded American Taylor Fritz in the second round.
De Minaur was even more convincing in his first-round match, powering to a 6-2 6-2 triumph against Swiss qualifier Henri Laaksonen. The world No.20 lost only 12 points on serve in the 66-minute encounter.
This propels the 23-year-old Australian into a second-round showdown with seventh-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
> RANKING MOVERS: De Minaur returns to world’s top 20
Thanasi Kokkinakis battled for three hours and 15 minutes in his first-round clash with 10th-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner, almost scoring a major boilover.
Sinner, who was celebrating his 21st birthday, eventually edged out a 6-7(9) 6-4 7-6(6) victory against the Aussie qualifier.
In women’s doubles action, Toronto finalists Ellen Perez and Nicole Melichar-Martinez won a three-set clash against American wildcards Caty McNally and Taylor Townsend.
Aussies in action – Cincinnati
RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) d Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 7-5 6-4
Alex de Minaur (AUS) d [Q] Henri Laaksonen (SUI) 6-2 6-2
[10] Jannik Sinner (ITA) d [Q] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-7(9) 6-4 7-6(6)
Women’s doubles, first round
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) d [WC] Caty McNally (USA)/Taylor Townsend (USA) 6-0 3-6 [10-1]
Anett Kontaveit (EST)/Sloane Stephens (USA) d Storm Sanders (AUS)/Caroline Dolehide (USA) 6-2 3-6 [10-8]
Men’s doubles, first round
[WC] William Blumberg (USA)/Steve Johnson (USA) d Matt Ebden (AUS)/Max Purcell (AUS) 7-5 3-6 [10-6]
COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) v [11] Taylor Fritz (USA)
Alex de Minaur (AUS) v [7] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
Women’s singles, second round
[Q] Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) v [3] Paula Badosa (ESP)
Men’s doubles, first round
John Peers (AUS)/Dan Evans (GBR) v Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)/Andrey Rublev
Women’s doubles, first round
Sam Stosur (AUS)/Latisha Chan (TPE) v Anna Danilina (KAZ)/Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA)
Men’s doubles, second round
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)/Nick Kyrgios (AUS) v [1] Rajeev Ram (USA)/Joe Salisbury (GBR)
Alex de Minaur (AUS)/Cameron Norrie (GBR) v Kevin Krawietz (GER)/Andreas Mies (GER)
Women’s doubles, second round
Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v [2] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
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