Vondrousova ends Wozniacki’s comeback debut, books spot in last 16 at Montreal

No 9 seed Marketa Vondrousova advanced to the last 16 of the Canadian Open by winning against Dane wildcard Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 7-5 at Stade IGA in Montreal on Wednesday evening.

“She’s playing amazing after such a long time away, and she’s an amazing player and I feel like it was a very tough match,” the 2023 Wimbledon winner said. “I feel like it was such a fight until the end. Hats off to her.” 

Happy to have you back on Tour, @CaroWozniacki 💜 pic.twitter.com/FiejZAKSQN

— wta (@WTA) August 9, 2023

Vondrousova, ranked No 10, will face American Coco Gauff, the No 6 seed, next.

“It’s gonna be a pretty tough match,” Vondrousova said of sixth-seeded Gauff, who defeated her in the pair’s only previous meeting at Dubai in 2021 (3-6, 6-0, 6-4). “She is doing such a great job today. We’ll see, I expect a tough match.” 

Wozniacki – Lots of positives

Caroline Wozniacki’s first tournament in three and a half years has yielded plenty of positive energy. The Dane, who defeated Aussie qualifier Kimberly Birrell 6-2 6-2 on Tuesday, believes she is heading in the right direction.

3 years, 8 Months, 2 kids later! We are back baby!! Feels good to get the W today! 💪🏻
📸@jimmie48tennis pic.twitter.com/xza63fD9KH

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) August 8, 2023

“Obviously it didn’t go the way I’d hoped, but at the end of the day I think there was a lot of positives I can bring with me,” she said of her loss to Vondrousova.

“I think in periods I played very well, and then in others I made a few too many unforced errors. All in all, I’m going in the right direction, and I think it’s to be expected after having not having played a lot of matches in a long time.

“I think all in all I could be happy with the way I compete and the way that I showed up here. I think, again, would I wish to win the tournament? Obviously, but also realistically you have to just take it step by step.”

The former World No 1 will head to Cincinnati where she has accepted a main draw wild card.

Marketa Vondrousova beat Egyptian Mayar Sherif (6-4, 6-2) ahead of her victory.

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“It’s something new for me” – Vondrousova enters brave new world as Wimbledon champion

Tennis Majors

In the previous round of the Rogers Cup, Caroline Wozniacki defeated Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell (6-2, 6-2).

Montreal WTA 1000, other second-round results (Stade IGA, hard, USD 2.788.468, most recent results first):

• Petra Kvitova vs. Camila Giorgi
• Jasmine Paolini vs. Madison Keys
• Petra Martic vs. Aryna Sabalenka
• Danielle Collins vs. Maria Sakkari
• Beatriz Haddad Maia vs. Leylah Fernandez: wednesday
• Elena Rybakina (3) beat Jennifer Brady: 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-3
• Daria Kasatkina (10) beat Anna Blinkova: 6-2, 7-5
• Karolina Muchova (14) beat Sorana Cirstea: 7-5, 6-4
• Liudmila Samsonova (15) beat Qinwen Zheng: 6-3, 6-2
• Jessica Pegula (4) beat Yulia Putintseva (LL): 6-4, 6-4
• Iga Swiatek (1) beat Karolina Pliskova: 7-6 (6), 6-2
• Belinda Bencic (12) beat Alycia Parks (Q): 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
• Coco Gauff beat Katie Boulter (Q): 6-2, 6-2
• Victoria Azarenka vs. Sloane Stephens
• Marie Bouzkova beat Caroline Garcia (5): 6-4, 4-6, 6-2