Cincinnati tournament Novak Djokovic will face Gael Monfils in the third round

(Cincinnati) Novak Djokovic reached the third round at the Cincinnati tournament following Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s injury withdrawal on Wednesday.

Second seed, the Serb led 6-4 ahead of the Spaniard, 23^e at the ATP.

Djokovic had the 2-1 break advantage.

Fokina called a timeout late in the first set, having trouble on the back.

Then, as the second set started, he pulled out with what could be a left knee problem.

Djokovic is back in the United States after missing tournaments there under the rules in place during the pandemic.

His next rival will be another 36-year-old player, Gaël Monfils. The Frenchman surprised Alex De Minaur 7-5, 6-4.

The Italian Jannik Sinner will not be champion of a Masters 1000 tournament for the second week in a row.

Winner of the National Bank Open in Toronto last weekend, Sinner lost 6-4 and 7-6 (4) against Serbian Dusan Lajovic.

In a clash marked by long rallies, Lajovic beat the eighth seed in two hours and four minutes.

Lajovic will now face the American Taylor Fritz (no 9), who also showed an Italian the way out by winning 6-4, 7-6 (1) against Lorenzo Sonego.

Sinner isn’t the only men’s seed to lose in the second round: Norway’s Casper Ruud (no. 5) was upset 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 by Australia’s Max Purcell.

Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Ben Shelton 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2).

The match went without a break. Greek Tsitsipas made just five unprovoked errors, 11 less than American Shelton.

Seeded number 14, American Tommy Paul (14) defeated Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-1, 7-6 (4).

Germany’s Alexander Zverev edged Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 7-5, 6-4.

Third-seeded Daniil Medvedev defeated Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-2.

On the women’s side, favorite Iga Swiatek once again held back American Danielle Collins after beating her in the quarter-finals in Montreal last week.

The Pole needed only 59 minutes to triumph 6-1, 6-0.

Titled in Montreal on Sunday, American Jessica Pegula needed two hours and 24 minutes to defeat Italian Martina Trevisan 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3.

Czech Marketa Vondrousova defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-4, 6-2 while Daria Kasatkina eliminated France’s Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 6-1.