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Williams, Halep, Pliskova, Osaka, Svitolina win Toronto openers

Playing her first match since runner-up finish at Wimbledon, the highest-paid female athlete Serena Williams defeated Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3 6-3. Pleased with her on-court movement, the eighth-seeded American is now injury-free and happy to be able to train and work on her fitness, something she says she hadn’t been able to do since January. The 37-year-old Williams has won the Rogers Cup three times, all in Toronto.

Defending champion Simona Halep had a tough time adjusting to the hardcourt challenge because of a long break after her Wimbledon triumph, but the fourth-seeded Romanian managed to overcome American qualifier Jennifer Brady 4-6 7-5 7-6(5).