British No 1 Katie Boulter overcame Bernarda Pera following a tense first-round conflict on the WTA Nationwide Financial institution Open in Toronto.
The Brit, who’s ranked 33 on this planet, prevailed following a tense three-set battle towards Pera and was made to struggle by the American qualifier on the Aviva Centre late on Wednesday evening, finally profitable 6-4 3-6 6-1 to arrange a conflict with Beatriz Haddad-Maia – which you’ll watch reside on Sky Sports activities on Thursday night.
Each gamers usually struggled to search out rhythm or fluency for constant intervals, significantly on serve and Boulter broke her opponent instantly to take command of the primary set.
Pera missed a possibility to interrupt again at 2-1 within the first set which Boulter wrapped up in 42 minutes.
Within the second set, there was once more a break within the opening sport, this time for Pera and she or he raced right into a 3-0 lead earlier than Boulter broke again, however she failed to carry her subsequent service sport and that allowed the Croatia-born US star to stage the match.
Within the third set, Boulter discovered some momentum which had been lacking previous to that time, finally taking it 6-1 to wrap up the match in two hours and eight minutes.
Elsewhere on the Canadian Open, it wasn’t such a optimistic story for the British hopes as Harriet Dart misplaced 3-6 6-3 6-7 (2-7) in an exciting match to Diana Shnaider, and over in Montreal within the males’s match, Jack Draper was overwhelmed 7-5 6-2 in little over an hour and a half by Australian Jordan Thompson.
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On the lads’s aspect of the draw, British No 1 Jack Draper is out of the Canadian Open in Montreal, after a straight units defeat to Jordan Thompson within the first spherical
Osaka beats Jabeur as she gears up for US Open return
Naomi Osaka beat one other high participant in her return from maternity go away, routing ninth-seeded Ons Jabeur 6-3 6-1.
Osaka, a former No. 1 participant, beat a top-20 participant participant for the fifth time in her return, as she prepares to play on the US Open for the primary time since 2022.
Naomi Osaka celebrates a degree throughout her win over Ons Jabeur on the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Toronto (Chris Younger/The Canadian Press by way of AP)
“Everyone knows I really love hard courts. I wasn’t thinking too much. It was very instinctual,” stated Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner.
“Honestly, when I play the best players, like Ons, I tend to play better.”
Osaka will face Elise Mertens within the second spherical after the Belgian, one other former world No 1, beat American Katie Volynets 6-3 6-1.
Paula Badosa, a former second-ranked participant making a comeback from a again harm, adopted her Washington title Sunday with a 6-1 6-4 victory over Denmark’s Clara Tauson and can face fourth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko within the second spherical.
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Diana Shnaider beat Harriet Dart in an exciting three-setter to progress to the second spherical of the Canadian Open in Toronto
Defending champion Jessica Pegula topped Karolina Pliskova 7-5 6-4 within the second spherical, whereas in one other evening match, Fifteenth-seeded Leylah Fernandez beat Nao Hibino 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
Marina Stakusic, a 19-year-old from close by Mississauga, beat Erika Andreeva 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 in her first main-draw look within the occasion.
Watch Katie Boulter v Beatriz Haddad-Maia, reside on Sky Sports activities Tennis, at 8pm.
What’s developing on Sky Sports activities Tennis?
Within the run-up to the ultimate Grand Slam of 2024 – the US Open – you may watch all the largest tennis stars in motion reside on Sky Sports activities as they compete throughout the hard-court season.
- Nationwide Financial institution Open, Montreal (ATP 1000) – 6-12 August
- Nationwide Financial institution Open, Toronto (WTA 1000) – 6-12 August
- Cincinnati Open (ATP 1000) – 12-19 August
- Cincinnati Open (WTA 1000) – 13-19 August
- Winston-Salem Open (ATP 250) – 18-24 August
- Tennis within the Land, Cleveland (WTA 250) – 18-24 August
- Abierto GNP Seguros, Monterrey (WTA 500) – 19-24 August
- US Open (ATP/WTA) – 26 August – 8 September
Watch the Canadian Open reside on Sky Sports activities this week with some matches accessible on Sky Sports activities Plus. Stream Sky Sports activities Tennis and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
