Big-serving Kyrgios saves match point to beat Kudla

CINCINNATI: Nick Kyrgios served 39 aces, including one to save match point, to power into the second  round of the Cincinnati Masters with a dramatic 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 7-6 (11/9) win over Denis Kudla on Tuesday.

Last year's losing finalist Kyrgios finally saw off the plucky American on his sixth match point.

The Australian will next face Croatian Borna Coric, who beat Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 6-3.

The 23-year-old Kyrgios has struggled since Wimbledon, retiring from his second-round match against Cameron Norrie in Atlanta before losing at the first hurdle to Stan Wawrinka in last week's Rogers Cup.

But the world number 18 dug deep against Kudla after losing a first-set tie-break, saving three break points in game 11 of the second set, before levelling the match on his third set point and winning a thrilling deciding breaker.

South Korea's Chung Hyeon rallied past a struggling Jack Sock for a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Chung handed the slumping American an eighth straight defeat, with Sock's last win coming in the opening round at Rome three months ago.

The 22-year-old Korean, who pulled out of Toronto last week with injury, prevailed after Sock took a long medical timeout in the second set for an apparent back problem.

Sock discussed the situation with officials before opting to play on, but Chung, an Australian Open semi-finalist earlier this year, charged through the remainder of the match to set up a showdown with fourth seed Juan Martin del Potro.

Unseeded Milos Raonic advanced past Serb Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-3 at the combined ATP and WTA event, the last major tune-up prior to the US Open on August 27.

Russian Karen Khachanov, who reached the last four in Toronto last week, put out Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

In the women's draw, Czech ninth seed Karolina Pliskova made a personal breakthrough as she beat Agnieszka Radwanska for the first time after seven previous straight-sets losses to the Pole, winning 6-3, 6-3.

"It was a tough round for me because I've never beaten her, never even taken a set," said Pliskova. "I was so happy when I won the first set because I thought, 'Finally, one set for me!'"

Australian 16th seed Ashleigh Barty defeated Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 7-5, while 14th-ranked Elise Mertens topped Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4, 6-2.

Maria Sakkari followed the example of Greek compatriot Stefanos Tsitsipas, Toronto finalist against Rafael Nadal, by beating Indian Wells champion Naomi Osaka 6-3, 7-6 (10/8).