Montreal Day 3 Recap served up by IGA: Vintage Genie performance lights up Centre Court

The 31-year-old lit up her hometown crowd with a vintage performance to secure a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 victory over Emiliana Arango of Columbia. Bouchard will face former NBO champion Belinda Bencic in the second round on Wednesday night. In 2015, the Swiss star defeated the Canadian former world no. 5 en route to her title in Toronto. 

Osaka dominant out of the gate

Naomi Osaka returned to Montreal for the first time since 2018 with flair on Monday.

The four-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 made quick work of Canadian qualifier Ariana Arseneault 6-4, 6-2 in just over an hour to move on at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers. 

Osaka sets up a round two meeting against Liudmila Samsonova, the finalist two years ago in Montreal.  

Raducanu rolls to first win in Canada

Fresh off her run to the Washington semi-finals last week, Brit Emma Raducanu made good in her Montreal debut Monday on Centre Court, defeating Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania 6-2, 6-4 to reach round two.

This is the first-career win in Canada for the Toronto-born Raducanu who is making her second tournament appearance and first since 2022. 

The 2021 U.S. Open champion will next face American Peyton Stearns, the no.  32 seed in the draw. Stearns was beaten in Washington by Venus Williams. 

Click here to consult all of Monday’s results.  

Jessica Pegula Headlines Mental Health Panel 

Blair Henley guided the conversation between Pegula, Tournament Director Valérie Tétreault, Mark Gellard, coach of Magda Linette, and Lindsay Brandon, Director of Safeguarding at the WTA Tour.

This mental health panel represented the second consecutive year Tennis Canada had staged the event in collaboration with the WTA.

During the panel,it was announced that ATP Serves and the WTA Foundation will each make a $10,000 donation to the CCHMS.

Photos: Tim Austen & Amélie Caron