Serena Williams overcomes Nuria Parrizas-Diaz's threat in Toronto

The 23-time Grand Slam champion was playing only her second match this season and her first on a hardcourt since the 2021 Australian Open some 18 months ago. Williams saved four break points in the marathon eighth game of the second set before she held serve. The 40-year-old American then served out for the victory after two hours.

Simona Halep swept the opening seven games on her way to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Donna Vekic to also reach the second round. Romania's former number one and two-time Canadian champion lost no time in collecting her triumph over the number 82 qualifier in 62 minutes on a day where rain threatened. Halep, ranked 15th, handed Vekic a 10th defeat in her last 11 matches against a top-20 opponent.

The Croat last defeated a member of the ranking elite at the Olympics last summer when she put out No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka. Halep added a 33rd match victory to her 2022 total as she advanced at one of the five WTA events she has won twice (2016, 2018).