The National Times - Japanese qualifier Ito ousts seventh seed Paolini in Montreal

Japanese qualifier Ito ousts seventh seed Paolini in Montreal


Japanese qualifier Ito ousts seventh seed Paolini in Montreal
Japanese qualifier Ito ousts seventh seed Paolini in Montreal / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito stunned Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) on Tuesday to reach the third round of the WTA Canadian Open.

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The 21-year-old beat American Katie Volynets in the first round for her first WTA 1000 level triumph then followed with her first victory over a top-10 opponent by rallying from a set and break down to advance after two hours and 27 minutes.

World number 105 Ito saved a match point in the 10th game of the second set and outlasted sixth-ranked Paolini to book a third-round match against Spain's 51st-ranked Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who defeated American Ashlyn Krueger 6-4, 6-4.

Ito reached the semi-finals last October at Osaka in her WTA debut and claimed a 125-level title at Canberra in January, but until this week had not won a tour-level match.

In other matches, DC Open champion Leylah Fernandez dropped her opener on home soil, falling to Australian Maya Joint 6-4, 6-1.

Russian fourth seed Mirra Andreeva advanced to the third round in a walkover past Canada's Bianca Andreescu, while US eighth seed Emma Navarro ousted Canada's Rebecca Marino 6-1, 6-2.

US top seed Coco Gauff, who had a first-round bye, was set to play her opening Montreal match later against compatriot Danielle Collins with a third-round berth at stake.

A.M.Murray--TNT