American Andy Roddick kept the crowd on their edge of their seats at the Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday night after he fought back from a set down to overcome Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 to reach the third round.
Earlier, world number one Roger Federer, third seed Lleyton Hewitt and number four seed Marat Safin all advanced following three-set struggles, while Guillermo Coria, David Nalbandian and Tim Henman all tumbled out.
However, the real drama was saved for the night session as fifth-seeded Roddick scrambled to a repeat of his win over Ferrero in the final of the 2003 US Open.
Now ranked 24 in the world, former number one Ferrero played some of his best tennis since that final almost two years ago, serving superbly and hammering winners from both sides to take the opening set.
Roddick, runner-up at Wimbledon last month but a loser to Paul-Henri Mathieu in the first round of last week's Montreal Masters, saved two break points -- one with a lucky net cord -- in the fourth game of the second set.
That proved to be the turning point of the match.
Once he had taken the set in a tiebreak thanks to some massive serving, he grew in confidence and finally broke Ferrero's serve in the second game of the decider before cruising to victory.
Earlier, Federer, playing just his second match since winning his third successive Wimbledon title six weeks ago, produced a sluggish and inconsistent performance but still managed to beat German Nicolas Kiefer 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.
GOOD FEELING
"I was struggling in the beginning, obviously," Federer said after setting up a third-round meeting with Belgium's Olivier Rochus.
"I was a little disappointed about the start. I was looking for my rhythm and he keeps coming at you and he didn't really allow me to get the rhythm either.
"But to turn it around in the end, and not playing my best, is always a good feeling."
Hewitt showed his stomach for a scrap, battling back to beat Greg Rusedski 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Having been forced to withdraw from his opening match in Montreal last week because of a virus, the third-seeded Australian looked out of sorts as Rusedski romped through the opening set in 20 minutes.
Although the Briton had four chances to break in the second set, Hewitt snatched it with one break of his own.
He then repeated the feat in the third to clinch a meeting with Croatian Mario Ancic, who ousted 16th seed Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 7-6.
"He served extremely well," Hewitt said. "He didn't give as many cheap points as maybe he normally does, especially from the back of the court and on my service games.
"I just tried to make him play more as the match went on. I'm feeling better and better with every match."
Fourth seed Safin lost his focus in the second set but recovered to defeat British wild card Andy Murray 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, while sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko also advanced.
Juan Ignacio Chela gave Argentine fans something to cheer about when he dumped 12th seed Henman, who was struggling with a stomach injury, 6-4, 6-4.
But ninth seed Coria was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Luis Horna of Peru, and 11th seed Nalbandian went down 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 to Chilean Fernando Gonzalez.
