Djokovic in travel spin at Masters

CINCINNATI, Ohio (AFP) –

Novak Djokovic of Serbia during his 6-3, 6-2 victory over Richard Gasquet of France on August 12, 2012 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Djokovic says he has to remind himself which continent he is on as his fast-paced schedule spins swiftly with the Olympics done and the US Open near.

ATP Cincinnati Masters second seed Novak Djokovic says he has to remind himself which continent he is on as his fast-paced schedule spins swiftly with the Olympics done and the US Open near.

“If you don’t keep track of time and places where you are, it happens — sometimes you wake up and say, ‘OK, which time zone I am in right now?’” the Serb said.

Djokovic made the quick-change from Wimbledon Olympic grass to Toronto hardcourt last week to win Canada’s Masters event.

“It’s the way it is for everybody, mostly for top players,” he said. “We are aware of the fact that Olympic Games are going to make our schedule more difficult and busier than previous years.

“That’s what happens always in the tennis schedule when you have Olympic year coming up. We all tried to work our schedule around that. For now, I’m feeling good.”

Mardy Fish serves against Feliciano Lopez of Spain during day four of the Western & Southern Open on August 14, 2012 in Mason, Ohio. Fish ousted Lopez 6-2, 6-3

Djokovic will play his opening match on Wednesday against Italian Andreas Seppi, with top seed Roger Federer and Olympic gold medallist Andy Murray also opening then.

In Tuesday first-round matches, US 10th seed Mardy Fish ousted Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 6-3 while longtime friend and two-time tournament champion Andy Roddick lost to Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

“I felt fine early on, and then I had one lunge forehand and the back kind of goes out or spasms a little bit. It got progressively worse,” Roddick said. “I feel a lot better about where my game is at now — today was just one of those things, what are you going to do about it?”

German Tommy Haas continued his fighting return to top form by outlasting Argentine David Nalbandian 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 in a match lasting almost 3 1/2 hours.

Andy Roddick wipes sweat from his face against Jeremy Chardy of France on August 14, 2012 in Mason, Ohio. Roddick lost to Chardy 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

Haas won the Halle title in June on grass over Federer and played in finals at Hamburg and Washington. He reached the quarter-finals last week in Toronto and has lined up a Cincinnati date with Olympic bronze medallist Juan Martin del Potro, the eighth seed.

Japan’s 14th seed Kei Nishikori opened with a victory over Marcel Granollers 6-1, 6-2.

In women’s play, unseeded Olympic doubles champion Venus Williams found herself in a struggle with Russian Maria Kirilenko, the 12th seed, before pulling out a 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 first-round win in nearly 2 1/2 hours.

The 32-year-old American was helped by 11 aces but did not do herself any favours as she failed to serve out a straight-sets win.

Venus Williams hits a forehand against Maria Kirilenko of Russia on August 14, 2012 in Mason, Ohio. Williams struggled against 12th seed Russian Maria Kirilenko, before pulling out a 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 first-round win

“I think I was putting too much emphasis on my serve,” Williams said. “I wanted to win it off the serve, and then when I had to hit some groundstrokes I just wasn’t patient enough.

“I should have stuck in there and worked the point and hit a lot of balls and be ready to win the point. I got a little impatient, and that doesn’t work, especially against a player like her. I changed my ways in the third.”

Russian Elena Makarova eliminated Nadia Petrova when her 15th-seeded compatriot trailed 7-6 (10/8), 3-1.

Germany’s Angelique Kerber was first into the third round, beating Timea Babos of Hungary 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.