CINCINNATI: World number one Roger Federer, No. 2 Andy Murray and No. 3 Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round of the Cincinnati Masters hardcourt tournament with straight-set triumphs.

Federer moved on by defeating Argentina's Jose Acasuso 6-3, 7-5, British defending champion Murray defeated Spain's Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 and Nadal ousted Italy's Andrea Seppi 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3).

Swiss star Federer, who won his record 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last month but was ousted in the quarter-finals last week at Montreal, will next face Spain's 19th-ranked David Ferrer in the US Open tuneup.

Nadal, whose match was also halted by a lengthy shower, excelled in the tie-breakers to reach a round-of-16 match up with France's Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Murray took a break early in the second set and felt the steam disappear from Almagro's game.

Now Murray, who won last week at Montreal, could take both major tuneups for the US Open and make himself a favorite to return to the final, where he lost to Federer a year ago.

Serbian fourth seed Novak Djokovic advanced by ousting Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. He will next face either big-serving American John Isner or France's Jeremy Chardy.

Australian Chris Guccione, ranked 124th, pulled off an early upset on the third day of the three million-dollar US Open tune-up event by eliminating French seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (14/12), 6-2. LINK