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.”
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.