Pliskova begins reign with win at Rogers Cup

TORONTO Karolina Pliskova began her run as world No. 1 on a positive note.

The 25-year-old from the Czech Republic downed Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the third round of the Rogers Cup, extending her winning streak over the 19th-ranked player to five straight matches.

“I had a little bit (of nerves) before my match because I really wanted to win this one,” Pliskova said. “Also, I knew I have a good record against her. So I just knew if I play solid and OK, I can win it.”

Romania’s Simona Halep, the current No. 2 in the world and defending Rogers Cup champion, played the late draw against Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova.

Pliskova will play Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the third round. The 50th-ranked Osaka upset No. 16 Anastasija Sevastova.

In another upset, American teenager Catherine Bellis ousted eighth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. Bellis won 74 per cent of her first-service points and broke the 32-year-old Russian three times.

The 18-year-old Bellis, ranked 36th in the world, broke Kuznetsova in the first game of the first set and twice more in the second, including in a crucial 11th game that gave her a 6-5 lead.

Bellis will face France’s Caroline Garcia, who beat American qualifier Varvara Lepchenko.

Wimbledon champion and fourth-seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain moved on with a win over Kirsten Flipkens.

Muguruza will next play Australian qualifier Ashleigh Barty, who upset 16th-seeded Elena Vesnina.

In other second-round play, ninth-seed Venus Williams earned her second career win in Toronto, a 7-5, 7-5 victory over Katerina Siniakova.

Agnieszka Radwanska and Lucie Safarova also advanced.