swiatek

TORONTO — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek cruised into the third round of the National Bank Open with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic on Wednesday.

Swiatek increased her hardcourt winning streak to 20 matches with a clinical performance, defeating Tomljanovic in just one hour four minutes.

The Polish star converted six of her nine break point chances as she connected on 26 of 37 return points (70.3 per cent).

Tomljanovic converted both break points she had, but struggled to take advantage and had trouble defending her serve.

Swiatek will next face the winner of a match later Wednesday between 13th seed Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., and Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia.

In other early results, 10th seed Coco Gauff of the United States beat Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 6-4, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (3). Defending champion Camila Giorgi of Italy downed Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5. And seventh seed Jessica Pegula downed fellow American Asia Muhammad 6-2, 7-5.

Later Wednesday, Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., who won the tournament in Toronto in 2019, was scheduled to face Alize Cornet of France.

Serena Williams was set to face Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in the evening session. Williams, a winner of 23 Grand Slams, is playing in Toronto a final time before retiring sometime after the U.S. Open.