MONTREAL: Top-ranked Iga Swiatek overcame a first set-scare to beat Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (6), 6-2 on Wednesday in the second round of the National Bank Open.
“Well, for sure it’s nice to have some challenges and overcome them,” said Swiatek, coming off a victory last week at home in the Poland Open. “It wasn’t an easy first round, but I’m happy that I stayed solid."
Swiatek advanced to face 14th-seeded Karolina Muchova, a 7-5, 6-4 winner over Sorana Cirstea. Swiatek beat Muchova this year in the French Open final.
“We have to be ready for the next match and kind of expect that anything can happen because tennis can be pretty unpredictable,” Swiatek said. “You know, one player can have a bad day. At the same time the other one can play the best tennis of their life.”
In the night session, second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka beat Petra Martic 6-3, 7-6 (5) in the hard-court event. Sabalenka is the Australian Open champion.
“Especially on this surface, I was really struggling with all her slices,” Sabalenka said. “I think I need some time to adjust to this surface. I hope the next match I will play a little bit better, but overall, I’m just happy to get through this tough match.”
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, seeded ninth, beat Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 7-5. Wozniacki, a former No. 1 player, was playing her first WTA Tour event in 3 1/2 years.
Vondrousova set up a match against sixth-seeded Coco Gauff, a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Katie Boulter. Gauff won last week in Washington for her fourth career title.
Third-seeded Elena Rybakina outlasted Jennifer Brady 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 6-3 in a match that was suspended Tuesday night because of rain.
Fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula topped Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 6-4; and 10th-seeded Daria Kasatkina edged Anna Blinkova 6-2, 7-5.
Canadian Leylah Fernandez also advanced, beating 11th-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia 7-5, 5-7, 6-3. Fernandez will face Danielle Collins, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over eighth-seeded Maria Sakkari.
In the late match, seventh-seeded Petra Kvitova, the 2012 winner, beat 2021 champion Camila Giorgi 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.