Federer, Murray move on in Cincinnati

Mason, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Roger Federer fended off a challenge but emerged a second-round winner at the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday afternoon.

The second-seeded super Swiss dropped the second set against Canadian challenger Vasek Pospisil, but rebounded to turn in a 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 6-2 victory on the hardcourts.

Federer's next opponent is Gael Monfils, who needed less than an hour to upend 13th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut.

Andy Murray defeated Joao Sousa 6-3, 6-3 in his opening match earlier in the day. The eighth-seeded Murray, who received a bye into the second round, won this Masters 1000 event in 2008 and 2011, beating Novak Djokovic each time. Murray will face 11th-seeded American John Isner in the third round.

Isner, who lost to Rafael Nadal in last year's Cincinnati final, bested Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic 6-3, 7-6 (7-1).

While Murray easily advanced, Tomas Berdych and Grigor Dimitrov made quick exits after also being given byes.

The fourth-seeded Berdych lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Taiwan's Yen-Hsun Lu, while the seventh-seeded Dimitrov fell 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to Poland's Jerzy Janowicz.

Canadian slugger Milos Raonic, seeded fifth, breezed past Robby Ginepri, while sixth-seeded David Ferrer survived Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4), in a two-hour, 41-minute marathon.

Marin Cilic, Fabio Fognini and Tommy Robredo -- seeded 14 through 16, respectively -- all advanced in straight sets. Robredo will battle Djokovic in the third round after eliminating American wild card Sam Querrey.

Another American did move on, however, as Steve Johnson downed ninth-seeded Ernests Gulbis, 6-4, 6-4.

Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny and Frenchman Julien Benneteau also moved on. Youzhny knocked off Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, last week's Rogers Cup champion, in an opening-round match on Tuesday.

The winner of this U.S. Open Series tournament will earn $638,850.