Cincinnati (US) Aug 14 (IANS) Ninth seed John Isner from the United States and 12th seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina both favourites to win the men s singles title at the 2018 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tennis tournament here were eliminated in the first round.
On Monday the American lost to compatriot Sam Querrey 6-4 6-7 (5) and 7-6 (5) while the Argentine was defeated by Switzerland s Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2 4-6 6-3 reports EFE news agency.
Serbian Novak Djokovic won against American Steve Johnson 6-4 and 7-6 (4) who managed to save up to eight match balls before giving up.
Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 13th seeded and France s Lucas Pouille 16th seeded made it to the next round after beating France s Richard Gasquet 6-3 2-6 6-3 and Briton Andy Murray 6-1 1-6 and 6-4 respectively.
France s Benoit Paire beat Spain s David Ferrer 6-2 6-2 and is set to compete in the next round against the winner of the match between 11th-seeded Belgian David Goffin and Greece s Stefanos Tsitsipas who was a finalist at the 2018 Canadian Masters in Toronto.
France s Jeremy Chardy beat Spain s Fernando Verdasco 6-1 6-2 and will face 8th-seeded South African Kevin Anderson in the next round.
Others who qualified for the next round were Japan s Kei Nishikori who beat Russia s Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-3; and Germany s Peter Gojowczyk who knocked out Portugal s Joao Sousa 2-6 6-4 and 7-5 and will face second seed and seven-time champion Roger Federer in the next round.
Spaniard Rafael Nadal who won the Canadian Masters in Toronto on Aug. 12 cited his need for "rest" as a reason for his absence in Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Masters awards $5.7 million in prize money according to the official website of the Association of Tennis Professionals.

--IANS ajb/sed