Ana Ivanovic has booked her place in the second round of the Rogers Cup with a straight-sets win over Olga Govortsova, in a match that saw both players hold their serve just six times combined.
Four of the opening five games saw the two players break each other, but it was Ivanovic's hold in the third that proved pivotal in the end.
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Both appeared to be settling into the match when they held two games apiece in succession, but a final break for the number five seed saw her take the set 6-4.
The second was even more laden with breaks as all but one of the first eight games of the set were won against serve.
Govortsova was in control having achieved that hold, but Ivanovic managed to win on serve in the ninth game to level things up once more.
Unsurprisingly, the final three games of the set all ended in breaks to force a tie-break, and that started in kind as the opening three points were all won against serve.
Ivanovic finally began to provide some semblance of normality with consecutive holds, however, and that ultimately proved to be enough to give her a 7-4 victory in the breaker, sealing a 6-4 7-6(4) win.
The Serb will now face Polona Hercog in the next round.
Barney Corkhill
