(Toronto) Italy’s Camila Giorgi continued her title defense by defeating Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5 in the second round of the National Bank Open on Wednesday in Toronto.
Posted at 2:20 p.m.
Giorgi, who triumphed in Montreal in 2021, needed 92 minutes to beat her 37-ranked rivale in the world.
Mertens was opportunistic, taking advantage of each of the three break points she got. However, she was the victim of five breaks of service during the game.
Currently ranked 29e in the world, Giorgi will face the winner of the duel between Americans Jessica Pegula, seventh seed, and Asia Muhammad in the next round.
For her part, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek made short work of Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. The Polish won 6-1, 6-2 in 64 minutes of play.
In other matches earlier in the day, American Coco Gauff struggled for 2 hours 49 minutes before beating Kazakh Elena Rybakina 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (3).
Both players multiplied powerful shots, but Rybakina was ultimately handicapped by a low first-serve rate of 45.5%.
Czech Karolina Pliskova, 14e seed, was more effective than Gauff, knocking out American Amanda Anisimova 6-1, 6-1 in 53 minutes. Pliskova lost in the final to Giorgi last year.
Later in the day, Canadians Leylah Fernandez and Bianca Andreescu were also scheduled to play their second round match. Fernandez had an appointment with the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, while Andreescu was due to play against the French Alizé Cornet.