Yuichi Sugita is through to the second round of the Western & Southern Open after surprising American No. 1 Jack Sock on Wednesday. In the first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting between the pair, the 28-year-old Japanese player advanced 7-5, 6-4.
Sugita, No. 46 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, sent down seven aces and broke four times on his way past the World No. 16. It continues a solid run of form in Cincinnati after he defeated #NextGenATP star Alexander Zverev and Nicolas Mahut en route to the third round last year, where he fell to Milos Raonic.
Earlier this summer, he captured his first ATP World Tour title at Antalya (d. Mannarino). Portugal’s Joao Sousa is his next opponent in Cincinnati, with the pair having never faced off on tour.
