MONTREAL: Seeded players David Goffin and Grigor Dimitrov advanced to the second round of the Rogers Cup on a wet Tuesday at Uniprix Stadium.
Goffin, seeded 13th, topped Steve Johnson 6-2, 6-2 when play began after a rain delay, and the 14th- seeded Dmitrov downed Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 7-5.
Dimitrov will face American Jack Sock for a place in the round of 16. Sock overcame 10 double faults in outdueling Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (5).
Twenty-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios hit 15 aces holding off Fernando Verdasco, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. It was Verdasco’s third consecutive opening-round loss. Kyrgios takes on reigning Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka next. Wawrinka beat Kyrgios, 6-3, 6-4, in their only meeting on the grass of Queen’s Club in June.
A 2014 Rogers Cup semifinalist, Dimitrov played a composed match at critical moments and defended vigorously to dig on the break in the final game of the match.
Dimitrov denied eight of nine break points he faced. Attacking Dolgopolov’s second serve at the right times, Dimitrov won 10 of 13 points played on the Ukrainian’s second delivery in the second set.
The 14th-seeded Dimitrov used his slice backhand to extend the point, drawing a backhand error to end a gripping 27 shot rally. Dolgopolov sent a crosscourt forehand wide to face triple match point. He fought off the first two match points but netted a forehand on the third to end the 92-minute match.
Goffin needed just 55 minutes to dissect American Steve Johnson. The 13th-seeded Belgian will play 32nd-ranked American Sam Querrey for the first time in the second round.
Qualifier Mikhail Youzhny swept Serbian Viktor Troicki, 6-3, 7-5. Youzhny will play ninth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon next.
Richard Gasquet, seeded 11th, withdrew due to an illness. He was replaced in the draw by French compatriot Nicolas Mahut.
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