Emma Raducanu delivered an impressive performance in Montreal, defeating American Peyton Stearns 6-2 6-4 to advance to the third round. The British No 1 required only 95 minutes to overcome the 32nd seed on Wednesday afternoon.
The 22-year-old demonstrated her dominance throughout the encounter, securing two breaks in the opening set before clinching victory with a strong finish.
Her comprehensive victory sets up an intriguing third-round encounter with fifth seed Amanda Anisimova, who is competing in her first tournament following her run to the Wimbledon final.
Raducanu came into Canada with a good run of form. The former US Open champion pushed world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka during their third-round encounter at Wimbledon before reaching the semi-finals in Washington.
Emma Raducanu has been playing great tennis in Montreal
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Wednesday's match saw Raducanu overcome an early setback in the second set after establishing her authority in the opener. Despite falling behind 4-2 in the second set, she demonstrated remarkable resilience by winning the final four games consecutively to seal the victory.
"I know Peyton is a really tough opponent, we've played two times in the past and always had really long matches. I'm really happy with how I came through in that match," Raducanu said afterwards.
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British supporters made their presence felt during crucial moments, with Union Jack flags visible in the crowd as Raducanu secured her win in Quebec.
The tournament holds particular significance for Raducanu, who was born in Canada before moving to Britain.
"I was actually born in Canada, so to come back and to me it means so much to do well here and very happy to be into the next round," she told spectators after her victory.
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Emma Raducanu is now aiming for a seeded place at the US Open
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This marks Raducanu's first appearance at the Montreal tournament, as the ATP and WTA 1000 events rotate annually between Montreal and Toronto.
She acknowledged losing concentration briefly during the second set, admitting: "I kind of lost my focus at some moments in the second set and she took advantage, but very happy that I came through against a top opponent."
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The upcoming match against Anisimova presents a unique challenge, as the two players share a close friendship off court.
Following her first-round victory over another friend, Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Raducanu acknowledged the difficulty of competing against someone she's close to.
Despite their friendship, Raducanu has enjoyed considerable success against the world No 7 this season.
Emma Raducanu will now face Amanda Anisimova in the next round
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She secured victories in both their previous encounters in 2025, defeating Anisimova at the Australian Open and again at the Miami Open.
Anisimova progressed to the third round after receiving a first-round bye and defeating Lulu Sun 6-4 7-6(5) in her opening match.