Top-seeded Coco Gauff has routed Yafan Wang 6-4 6-2 in the second round of the National Bank Open, as she prepares for her US Open title defence.
Gauff was playing in her first hard-court match since the Miami Open in April and was coming off a third-round loss on clay at Roland Garros in the Paris Olympics.
“It’s not easy transitioning from all these different surfaces in such a short amount of time,” said the 20-year-old American. “Happy to get pushed through.”
In the night session, second-seeded Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka beat Yue Yuan 6-2 6-2.
“I wouldn’t say that I played my best tennis,” Sabalenka said. “Really happy that I was able to stay focused no matter what.”
Elise Mertens edged Naomi Osaka 6-3 6-4 in a late match. Osaka, a former No.1 player with four grand slam titles, is returning to form following maternity leave.
Earlier, fourth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko outlasted Paula Badosa 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2. Badosa had won the Washington title on Sunday in her comeback from a back injury.
No.5 Daria Kasatkina, No.6 Liudmila Samsonova, No 8 Emma Navarro and No.10 Anna Kalinskaya all advanced, but No.7 Madison Keys retired from her match against Peyton Stearns because of a thigh injury while down 3-0 in the third set.
Kasatkina beat Amanda Anisimova 6-4 6-3, Samsonova topped Moyuka Uchijima 6-4 6-2, Navarro beat Magda Linette 6-2 6-4 while Kalinskaya edged Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 6-2.
Katie Boulter, the British No.1, progressed to the third round after Beatriz Haddad Maia was forced to retire with a back problem.
Brazilian Haddad Maia had come through a marathon first-round match against Marie Bouzkova, lasting three hours and 20 minutes, but was soon calling for the trainer after the opening game against Boulter.
The world No.33 received lengthy treatment on her lower back and although she tried to resume, Haddad Maia swiftly conceded after Boulter, who beat Bernarda Pera in the first round, levelled the set at 1-1.
Boulter, who is in a relationship with Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur, will now meet Sabalenka for a place in the quarter-finals.
Canadian Leylah Fernandez, seeded 15th, dropped out with a 6-4 6-2 loss to qualifier Ashlyn Krueger.
Marina Stakusic, a 19-year-old wild card from nearby Mississauga, was thumped 6-0 6-2 by Taylor Townsend.
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