TORONTO, July 27, 2016

The second round of the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank kicked off on Tuesday with fifth seed Tomas Berdych battling past Croatian youngster Borna Coric 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The 30-year-old Czech hit 13 aces, winning 85% of his first service points. Berdych broke his opponent’s serve three times to prevail in one hour and 55 minutes.

‘‘I mean it was by my mistakes and then it was just basically trying to get used to the conditions because they were quite different,” Berdych was happy with the win. ”I was just really trying to be patient with myself. Trying also to look for the opportunities. And that’s what paid off.” For his third round match, he awaits the winner of the encounter between John Isner and Ryan Harrison.

Secon seed Stan Wawrinka overcame Mikhail Youzhny, winning two tie-breaks 7-3, 10-8. The world number five from Switzerland won 93 of 175 total points played to advance in exactly two hours of play. Wawrinka will next face either Jack Sock or Donald Young.

First round concludes

In the remaining opening round matches, 10th seed and last week’s Washington champion Gael Monfils defeated Joao Sousa 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 11 minutes to play Vasek Pospisil next.

Monfils will be joined in the second round by fellow Frenchman Lucas Pouille. The tournament’s number 13 ousted qualifier Emilio Gomez 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 in two hours and 18 minutes. Pouille will take on Rajeev Ram next. The veteran from the United States edged past Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-2.

14th favourite Benoit Paire fell to Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-3. The 37-year-old Czech saved all six break points he faced, converting four of his own to finish the encounter after one hour and 11 minutes. Stepanek will collide with Canadian wild card Peter Polansky.

Big-serving Ivo Karlovic set an all-Croatian-affair for the second round. The world number 27 outlasted US-American NextGen star Taylor Fritz 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 in two hours and 13 minutes to face eighth seed Marin Cilic next.