Taiwan’s Lu Yen-hsun battled into the second round of the Rogers Cup on Tuesday, rallying to defeat Marcel Granollers of Spain 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 in Toronto.
Lu started sluggishly after the match was delayed for two hours by rain, losing his first two service games to fall 0-4 behind in the first set.
However, the Taiwanese world No. 43 then fought back against his 37th-ranked opponent, breaking the Spaniard twice to take the first set to a tiebreak, then edging Granollers 8-6.
Photo: AFP
In the second set the trend was reversed, with Granollers claiming an early lead, before Lu battled back to claim victory in 1 hour, 49 minutes.
Overall, Lu saved three of seven break-point chances and converted a perfect five of five to set up a second-round showdown with world No. 5 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, who has defeated the Taiwanese in their two previous meetings, most recently in the quarter-finals in Bangkok last year.
Also advancing on Tuesday were two-time champion Roger Federer and compatriot Stan Wawrinka.
Photo: AFP
As Federer turned on the style, his fellow Swiss had to work much harder to move into round three.
Second seed Federer showed no mercy against Canadian Peter Polansky in a 6-2, 6-0 second-round thrashing which took just 52 minutes. Federer converted on six of seven break points as he played for the first time since his Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic.
“I was happy, I started well, and that’s always helpful to play more freely,” Federer said after winning his 41st match this season. “I could have served better at times, but I felt I was moving well. For the start of a tournament it’s never clear if that’s going to be the case. I’m very relieved and just really pleased.”
It was much more difficult for Australian Open winner Wawrinka, who battled to a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) win over Frenchman Benoit Paire.
The Swiss saved a match point in the tenth game of the final set and finally advanced with a running-volley winner on the first of four match points. Wawrinka took time away from the game after Wimbledon, skipping the ATP Tour’s Gstaad tournament at home due to fatigue.
Federer is playing Canada for the first time since 2011 after winning titles in 2004 and 2006. He is in the hunt for an 80th career trophy.
Promising Australian teenager Nick Kyrgios beat Santiago Giraldo 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 to set up a second-round meeting with Andy Murray.
The showdown was to be a huge test for last year’s Wimbledon winner Murray, whose game has gone off the boil this season as he tries to regain his top form after back surgery 10 months ago.
The Scotsman has not played since he saw his hopes of defending his Wimbledon title dashed in a quarter-final defeat to Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.
Kyrgios backed up his growing big-match reputation with his 94-minute win over Giraldo coming after the 19-year-old Aussie knocked Spaniard Rafael Nadal out in the fourth round of Wimbledon.
Kyrgios played fearless tennis as he trailed the more experienced Giraldo 5-2 in the opening set, with the wild card winning the opener in a tiebreak.
He claimed victory on his third match point in the second set after breaking the South American in the final game.
“First match back so I knew it was going to be tough,” Kyrgios said. “I came out a bit flat.”
Kyrgios said taking on Murray would be another huge challenge.
“He’s a great player, and I’m just going to go out there and enjoy the experience to get to play another player like that,” he said.
Day two play began three hours late due to rain.
Australian Bernard Tomic was unable to follow Kyrgios as a winner, losing 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (8/6) to Ivo Karlovic as the Croatian took revenge for a loss in the Bogata final last month.
Italian 16th seed Fabio Fognini beat Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-3, while Spain’s Tommy Robredo stopped German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
Two Canadians were eliminated as Donald Young defeated Frank Dancevic 5-7, 6-0, 6-3 and 12th seed Richard Gasquet beat last week’s Washington finalist Vasek Pospisil 7-5, 7-5. Pospisil, who was treated for a leg problem, later withdrew from the doubles.
Frenchman Gael Monfils beat Radek Stepanek 6-3, 7-5.
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