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Tomljanovic wins, Osaka out in Toronto

Staff WritersAAP
A back injury forced Naomi Osaka to retire in her round one match at the Canadian Open in Toronto. (AP PHOTO)
Camera IconA back injury forced Naomi Osaka to retire in her round one match at the Canadian Open in Toronto. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AP

Ajla Tomljanovic has progressed through to the second round of the Canadian Open with 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-3) victory over Veronika Kudermetova.

The 29-year-old Australian needed two hours 19 minutes to see off the Russian world No.18 on Tuesday and set up a clash with top seed and world No.1 Iga Swiatek of Poland.

Naomi Osaka's recent struggles, though, have continued in Toronto.

The four-time grand slam champion was trailing Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-7 (4-7) 0-3 in her first-round match when she withdrew from the contest with a back injury.

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"I felt my back from the start of the match, and despite trying to push through it, I just wasn't able to today," Osaka said.

"I'd like to pay credit to Kaia for playing well and want to wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament."

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The 31st-ranked Kanepi will next play eighth seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain.

Elsewhere, defending champion Camila Giorgi beat Brit Emma Raducanu 7-6 (7-0) 6-2.

US Open champion Raducanu went ahead 2-0 in the second set but the Italian finished with a flourish, securing the next six games with a mix of solid returns, net play and movement.

"I think it was a really good match, to be honest," ninth seed Raducanu said.

"I just need to get better at dealing with players who play as quick as she does."

Up next for the 30-year-old Giorgi will be Belgian Elise Mertens, who was a 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 winner over Hungary's Anna Bondar.

Also reaching the round of 32 was local Bianca Andreescu who upset Daria Kasatkina 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in an evening match that left the Russian world No.9, fresh off a title win in San Jose, clearly disgruntled.

The Canadian, who took the Toronto title in 2019 before winning the US Open, twice called out the trainer, including during the first-set tiebreak, before prevailing in a topsy-turvy match on centre court.

Greek third seed Maria Sakkari stamped out any chance of another upset in the final match of the day, fighting off a comeback from 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens to take a 6-2 4-6 6-2 victory in a second-round tie.

Earlier, 10th seed Coco Gauff, defeated fellow American Madison Brengle 6-1 6-3. 12th seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland was a 6-4 6-2 winner over Czech Tereza Martincova and China's Zheng Qinwen beat Canadian wildcard Rebecca Marino 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

With agencies.

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