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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