Tennis round-up: Federer through, Sharapova out of Cincinnati

Roger Federer got his delayed hardcourt season off to a positive start with straightforward 6-3, 7-6 win over Germany's Phillip Kohlschreiber to ease into the third round of the Western and Southern Open on Tuesday. Struggling with a sore back, Federer did not play last week's event in Montreal and has not tested himself on the North American hardcourt since Indian Wells in March. But the former world No 1 signaled that he is ready to challenge for an unprecedented sixth Cincinnati title and then perhaps a sixth US Open to add to his grand slam collection. "It was important to play a clean match," Federer told reporters. "I had a few tough weeks, months behind me, I was happy to play a clean match. "I told myself I was not going to come back until I felt no pain in my back. Eventually I started to workout very hard. "It is a tournament I have always played in lead up to the US Open, I like it here. I love the calmness of this place." It has been far from a vintage season for Federer, who has seen his world ranking dip to No 5 and haul of titles stuck at one. Federer arrives in the United States off a particular rough patch of form, losing in the second round at Wimbledon and then dropping his opening match at his home tournament in Gstaad. However, the Swiss maestro was all business on an unusually chilly Ohio night, running his record against Kohlschreiber to 7-0. Milos Raonic, who became the first Canadian to crack the top 10 of the world rankings after reaching the final in Montreal, struggled at first to adjust to his new status before storming back to take a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over American Jack Sock. Earlier, third seeded Spaniard David Ferrer was forced to work for his spot in the last 16, grinding out a 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 win over plucky American wildcard Ryan Harrison. Harrison, who learned before the match that he had been given a wild card entry into the US Open, almost celebrated his trip to Flushing Meadows with an upset, battling the feisty Ferrer for two hours and 42 minutes on a blustery centre court. Ferrer would have been prepared for a fight, having needed five sets to stop Harrison in the second round of Wimbledon in 2011 and the young American did not disappoint the home crowd, forcing the first set to a tiebreak before falling 7-5. Ninth seed Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka enjoyed a smooth passage into the second round with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Italy's Andreas Seppi, while evergreen German 11th seed Tommy Haas advanced with a no-fuss 6-4, 6-4 decision over South African Kevin Anderson. Spain's Feliciano Lopez upset Japanese 10th seed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-6 and 15th seed Gilles Simon of France retired with a hip strain while trailing Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 1-1. Sharapova's first-round exit The Maria Sharapova -Jimmy Connors partnership got off to a rocky start as Sloane Stephens shocked the third ranked Russian 2-6, 7-6, 6-3. Victoria Azarenka also made a shaky return following a brief injury layoff but recovered to dispose of American qualifier Vania King 6-1, 7-6 and reach the last 16. While it is too early to tell if Sharapova and Connors can produce the same kind of success Andy Murray has enjoyed since recruiting Ivan Lendl as his coach, the first step was far from a positive one. "Obviously I didn't lose today because I didn't implement what we were working on," Sharapova told reporters. "The things that we're working on ... are to improve with the game I have. "So, obviously, it's tough to lose at this stage but just got to keep working hard and keep moving forward." Stephens, ranked 17th in the world, was always going to be a tricky test for Sharapova and the loss likely had more to do with her seven-week injury layoff than the new coaching relationship with Connors, who oozed grit and determination to build a Hall of Fame career. On the sidelines with an injured left hip since a second round loss at Wimbledon, Sharapova moved effortlessly across the Cincinnati hardcourt but her play lacked sharpness, the Russian committing over 60 unforced errors and seven double faults. "I stopped being patient and I started making a lot more errors, errors that I shouldn't make," said Sharapova. "Obviously I haven't played in a long time but I can't make that excuse for myself because I've got to be ready from the first match. "So it's obviously disappointing, but that's the way it goes in this game." Connors would have been pleased with Sharapova's opening set but likely more impressed with the grit shown by her young opponent, who refused to buckle and battled back from 0-2 down in the second to force it to a tiebreak, which she took 7-5. Looking on from the stands, Connors was dressed like he came to work with his long-sleeved white shirt rolled up the elbows and glasses dipped on his nose. But there was nothing the nine-time grand slam winner could do as he watched his student unravel in the third set except hang his head. Follow us

Tennis round-up: Federer through, Sharapova out of Cincinnati

Swiss master shakes off rocky season with opening round win at Western and Southern Open but Russian former world No 1 is beaten by Stephens.