Denis Shapovalov downs Kyle Edmund in Cincinnati

ByPete Sharland

Updated 15/08/2018 at 07:23 GMT

British No.1 Kyle Edmund's preparations for the US Open suffered a blow on Wednesday as he was beaten in straight sets by Denis Shapovalov 6-4 7-5 in Cincinnati.

The opening set was a cagey affair as both players exchanged serves, with neither player really finding fluency.

However in the 10th game Shapovalov found the break off Edmund's serve to take the opener.

And that kickstarted the 19-year-old Canadian, ranked 32 in the world, as he flew out of the blocks in the second set, racing into a 4-0 lead.

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Edmund, 23, responded as he broke back twice to level matters, taking it to 5-5.

Kyle Edmund of Great Britain returns a shot to Denis Shapovalov of Canada during the Western & Southern Open at Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2018 in Mason, Ohio.

Image credit: Getty Images

However again he was broken at the critical moment as Shapovalov closed out his fourth victory against the Brit.

Shapovalov will either face compatriot Milos Raonic or Malek Jaziri in the third round.

Edmund will turn his attention to the Winston-Salem Open, which begins on Saturday.

Elsewhere world number two Roger Federer beat Peter Gojowczyk 6-4 6-4 in his first match since losing to Kevin Anderson at Wimbledon.

"It's nice to have played so that my last match was not the Anderson match. You've kind of turned the page. It's a good thing," he said.

"The goal is now to recover from this match, take the positives with me. Of course the big goal is the US Open."

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