Karolina Pliskova Defeat Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-7 (4), 1-0 to reach Rogers Cup Quarterfinal

TORONTO (AP) — Karolina Pliskova advanced to the quarterfinals at the Rogers Cup on Thursday when Japanese qualifier Naomi Osaka was forced to retire because of an injury.

The world’s top-ranked player moved on with a 6-2, 6-7 (4), 1-0 victory when Osaka had to retire because of an abdominal injury.

It wasn’t immediately clear when Osaka suffered the injury. She was in form during the tiebreaker, firing a service winner to convert her second set point under the warm sun at Aviva Centre.

Pliskova came out strong to open the third set and Osaka called for a trainer at the changeover. She briefly stretched out on the hardcourt before the decision was made.

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The world’s No. 50 player received treatment after the match and did not speak to reporters.

Pliskova, meanwhile, will move on to play sixth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who ousted 10th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-3, 6-1.

Second-seeded Simona Halep of Romania needed only 59 minutes to breeze by Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-0 while American Sloane Stephens upset third-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-2.

Later Thursday, fifth-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina defeated American Venus Williams 6-2, 6-1, and Spain’s Garbine Muguruza dispatched Australian qualifier Ashleigh Barty 6-0, 3-6, 6-2.

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Also, Caroline Garcia of France advanced with a 6-4, 6-2 win over American CiCi Bellis, and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic moved on with a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Makarova of Russia.

In doubles play, Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko defeated Germany’s Julia Goerges and Ukraine’s Olga Savchuk 4-6, 6-2, 10-3. The top-seeded doubles team of Makarova and Russia’s Elena Vesnina beat Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ontario, and Montreal-based Carson Branstine 6-1, 6-1.