Last week's Rogers Cup champions Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of Bahamas survived a scare before prevailing over Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco 5-7, 6-4, 12-10, in the opening round at the Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday.

The fourth-seeded Indo-Bahamian pair rallied after losing a close first set to take the second and it was a touch and go in the tie-breaker which they eventually clinched.