CINCINNATI (Ohio), Aug 6: Marat Safin became the highest ranked player to be eliminated from the Cincinnati Masters on Monday, losing his first round match 7-6, 6-2 to Britain’s Greg Rusedski.

Safin’s surprising loss came on a day when Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Roger Federer also fell to lower ranked opponents and Andre Agassi needed to dig deep for his win.

After an edgy first set in which neither player earned a break point, the second seeded Russian wasted three set points in the tiebreaker before going down 9-7 and was broken in the opening game of the second set as his frustration got the better of him.

Rusedski’s serve was unstoppable throughout and he made the most of the lightening fast courts in Cincinnati, sending one delivery down at 135mph.

The Russian could do little to combat the onslaught and was often left holding his arms out in despair.

He allowed his frustration to boil over once more late in the second set, as Rusedski notched up a second break of serve for a 5-2 lead.

Rusedski served out the match and now faces Tommy Robredo, who came from a set down to outlast marathon man Todd Martin 4-6, 6-4, 7-6.

Earlier, Agassi survived a mild scare before edging out Morocco’s Younes El Aynaoui 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in their first round match of the $2.95 million event.

However, two big names fell in the space of an hour.

Fifth seed Kafelnikov fell to an ignominious defeat, beaten 6-3, 6-2 by Germany’s Rainer Schuettler.

World number 14 Federer was also knocked out after running into trouble against talented Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the hardcourt event.

MONDAY’S RESULTS (PREFIX NUMBER DENOTES SEEDING):