Kohlschreiber ousts Roddick in Cincinnati

Harrison books second-round match with top-seed Djokovic.

CINCINNATI: Philipp Kohlschreiber rallied from a set and a break down to upset Andy Roddick in the first round of the Cincinnati tennis tournament.

Kohlschreiber emerged a 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-1 winner over 11th-seed American, who came into the tournament with a number 15 world ranking.

Roddick failed to recover after he was docked a point that cost him a break of serve, giving Kohlschreiber a 2-0 lead in the third set. He eventually double-faulted in the second game of the third to hand Kohlschreiber a break point. The German went on to finish the match with a service winner.

Meanwhile, rising US talent Ryan Harrison defeated Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 6-3 to book a second-round match against world number one Novak Djokovic, who had already extended his lead atop the rankings released after his victory in the Montreal Masters on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Argentine veteran David Nalbandian defeated Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 to book a second-round clash with world number four Andy Murray, while Russian Ekaterina Makarova set up a second-round meeting with second-seed Vera Zvonareva with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Israel’s Shahar Peer defeated Wimbledon semi-finalist Sabine Lisicki 6-4, 7-6 to set up a second-round clash with third-seed Victora Azarenka of Belarus. Meanwhile, Australian qualifier Anastasia Rodionova, ranked 139th in the world, crushed 42nd-ranked Polona Hercog 6-0, 6-0 and will now face fourth-seed Maria Sharapova.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2011.