Federer survives Pospisil scare in Cincinnati

Aug 13, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Roger Federer returns a shot from Vasek Pospisil on day three of the Western and Southern Open tennis tournament at Linder Family Tennis Center. Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

(Reuters) - Roger Federer survived an opening-match fright by outlasting Canada's Vasek Pospisil 7-6(4) 5-7 6-2 on Wednesday to claim his 300th Masters Series win and reach the third round of the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.

Back in action after losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Sunday, third-ranked Federer appeared sluggish at times as he struggled to tame the 46th-ranked Canadian.