<p>Under a floodlit centre court, Nadal was put to the test by Stanislas Wawrinka, needing two hours and 20 minutes and all his weapons to put away the stubborn Swiss 7-6, 6-3. <br />Djokovic could barely stand after a gritty 7-5, 7-5 win over Frenchman Julien Benneteau in sweltering midday conditions. Drained by the sauna-like conditions, the Serb was left slumped over the net gasping for breath after finally finishing off his French opponent in a little over two hours. Briton Andy Murray followed Djokovic onto a scorching center court and had to overcome a slow start before speeding past Belgian Xavier Malisse 7-5, 6-2. <br /><br />Bhupathi survives<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mahesh Bhupathi is the lone Indian survivor as Somdev Devvarman, Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna crashed out of the Masters Series event following defeats in their respective draws. Somdev entered the singles event as a lucky loser after Fernando Gonzalez pulled out but lost his first round to world number 18 Gael Monfils 6-7 (5-7), 3-6 after a gallant fight. Third seeded Paes and Czech Lukas Dlouhy, who had got a bye in the first round, lost 1-6, 6-7 (6-8) to French pair of Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra.<br /><br />Bopanna and his American partner Eric Butorac lost their first round 6-3, 3-6, 5-10 to Frantisek Cermak of Czech republic and Michal Mertinak of Slovakia. Bhupathi and his Belarusian partner Max Mirnyi, seeded fourth, are into the second round after getting a bye. <br /><br />Russia's Elena Dementieva lost 6-1, 6-3 to compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round of the rain-hit Cincinnati Open. Fourth seed Clijsters comfortably defeated another former world number one, Dinara Safina of Russia, 7-5, 6-2. But it was the early exit of third seed Dementieva that was the major surprise of the second round. <br /><br />Pavlyuchenkova will meet 13th seed Shahar Peer of Israel, who defeated Spanish qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives 6-3, 6-2. Three-times Grand Slam winner Sharapova looked in impressive form as she crushed Germany's Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 6-1. <br /><br />Wimbledon runner-up and 2006 Cincinnati champion Vera Zvonareva survived multiple rain delays and a 5-2 deficit but fought back to win the third set and defeat fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2). Zvonareva will face Flavia Pennetta, who defeated Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu 6-0, 6-1 earlier in the day.<br /><br />Sania-Monica through<br /><br />Sania Mirza and Monica Niculescu stunned Wimbledon doubles champions Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova to storm into the quarterfinals of the the Western and Southern Financial Group Women’s Open, adds PTI from Cincinati. <br /><br />The unseeded Indo-Romanian pair shocked their fifth seed rivals 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 in the second round. They had earlier beaten local pair of Melanie Oudin and Jamie Hampton 6-4, 7-6 in the opening round.<br /></p>
<p>Under a floodlit centre court, Nadal was put to the test by Stanislas Wawrinka, needing two hours and 20 minutes and all his weapons to put away the stubborn Swiss 7-6, 6-3. <br />Djokovic could barely stand after a gritty 7-5, 7-5 win over Frenchman Julien Benneteau in sweltering midday conditions. Drained by the sauna-like conditions, the Serb was left slumped over the net gasping for breath after finally finishing off his French opponent in a little over two hours. Briton Andy Murray followed Djokovic onto a scorching center court and had to overcome a slow start before speeding past Belgian Xavier Malisse 7-5, 6-2. <br /><br />Bhupathi survives<br /><br />Meanwhile, Mahesh Bhupathi is the lone Indian survivor as Somdev Devvarman, Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna crashed out of the Masters Series event following defeats in their respective draws. Somdev entered the singles event as a lucky loser after Fernando Gonzalez pulled out but lost his first round to world number 18 Gael Monfils 6-7 (5-7), 3-6 after a gallant fight. Third seeded Paes and Czech Lukas Dlouhy, who had got a bye in the first round, lost 1-6, 6-7 (6-8) to French pair of Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra.<br /><br />Bopanna and his American partner Eric Butorac lost their first round 6-3, 3-6, 5-10 to Frantisek Cermak of Czech republic and Michal Mertinak of Slovakia. Bhupathi and his Belarusian partner Max Mirnyi, seeded fourth, are into the second round after getting a bye. <br /><br />Russia's Elena Dementieva lost 6-1, 6-3 to compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the second round of the rain-hit Cincinnati Open. Fourth seed Clijsters comfortably defeated another former world number one, Dinara Safina of Russia, 7-5, 6-2. But it was the early exit of third seed Dementieva that was the major surprise of the second round. <br /><br />Pavlyuchenkova will meet 13th seed Shahar Peer of Israel, who defeated Spanish qualifier Nuria Llagostera Vives 6-3, 6-2. Three-times Grand Slam winner Sharapova looked in impressive form as she crushed Germany's Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 6-1. <br /><br />Wimbledon runner-up and 2006 Cincinnati champion Vera Zvonareva survived multiple rain delays and a 5-2 deficit but fought back to win the third set and defeat fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2). Zvonareva will face Flavia Pennetta, who defeated Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu 6-0, 6-1 earlier in the day.<br /><br />Sania-Monica through<br /><br />Sania Mirza and Monica Niculescu stunned Wimbledon doubles champions Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova to storm into the quarterfinals of the the Western and Southern Financial Group Women’s Open, adds PTI from Cincinati. <br /><br />The unseeded Indo-Romanian pair shocked their fifth seed rivals 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 in the second round. They had earlier beaten local pair of Melanie Oudin and Jamie Hampton 6-4, 7-6 in the opening round.<br /></p>
