Rogers Cup preview: Karolina Pliskova debuts as world No1, Simona Halep out to defend title

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  • Tennis heavyweights will reunite next week in Toronto for the Rogers Cup, as preparations for the US Open (starts August 28) get underway.

    Karolina Pliskova headlines a strong field, with Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova being the most notable absentees.

    Defending champion Simona Halep is the No2 seed and will be looking to recover from a brutal few days in Washington’s extreme heat that forced her to retire from her quarter-final against Ekaterina Makarova on Friday.

    The Toronto draw was revealed on Friday and includes some tricky match-ups for the top seeds.

    PROJECTED QUARTER-FINALS (BY SEED)

    Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [1] v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [6]
    Angelique Kerber (GER) [3] v Johanna Konta (GBR) [7]
    Elina Svitolina (UKR) [5] v Garbine Muguruza (ESP) [4]
    Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) [8] v Simona Halep (ROU) [2]

    FIRST ROUNDS TO WATCH

    Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [10] v Coco Vandeweghe (USA)
    Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) v Sloane Stephens (USA)
    Petra Kvitova (CZE) [14] v Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)
    Daria Kasatkina (RUS) v Roberta Vinci (ITA)
    Julia Goerges (GER) v Catherine Bellis (USA)
    Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) [13] v Barbora Strycova (CZE)
    Madison Keys (USA) v Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO)

    MAIN STORYLINES

    Pliskova in the hot seat

    We’ve seen how Angelique Kerber reacted to her elevated status as world No1 and it did not go so well. Will Karolina Pliskova’s reign be any different? The Czech tends to portray a composed persona and has been consistent this year, winning three titles from three finals reached in Brisbane, Doha and Eastbourne, and reaching the semis at the French Open, Indian Wells and Miami.

    Halep will be breathing down her neck in the rankings over the next six weeks, where Pliskova is defending the title in Cincinnati and a runner-up showing at the US Open. The next month and a half for Pliskova will be a test of character, and while she can’t lose her top spot in Toronto, she can surrender it to Halep in the following weeks.

    A new and improved Muguruza?

    It’s still early days but Garbine Muguruza is already reacting very differently to her Wimbledon title compared to how she did to her French Open success last season. The Spaniard is into the Washington semi-finals (faces Madison Keys on Saturday) and says she feels the pressure is off this time around. Toronto will be the first real test to that. In Canada, Muguruza she shares a quarter with fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina and Venus Williams and is in the same half of the draw as Halep.

    More Penko power?

    The French Open champion responded brilliantly to her breakthrough title in Paris by reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. The first seed she could face in Toronto could be eight-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round before a potential quarter-final against Halep, whom she beat to win Roland Garros in June.

    With a power game that should do wonders on hard courts, Ostapenko is definitely one to watch these next few weeks.

    Time for Kerber to bounce back?

    After playing a high-quality three-setter against Muguruza before bowing out of the Wimbledon fourth round, Kerber tweeted: “Thank you Wimbledon for reminding me how much I love this sport.”

    The German managed to bring out some of that magic form that won her two majors last year during that epic with Muguruza. And now that she’s no longer feeling like the hunted, having slipped from No1 to No3 in the rankings, can Kerber finally play freely and find her way back to her top level?

    She’s been dealt a tough hand in Canada where she can face home favourite Eugenie Bouchard in the second round, Petra Kvitova in the third and Johanna Konta in the quarters.

    Halep’s brutal draw

    The title holder could face Keys in her opener, in a rematch of last year’s final in Canada. She could then face Mladenovic in round three, and either Ostapenko or Kuznetsova in the quarters. If Halep wants to defend her title, she’ll have to do it the hard way.

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