Former world number one Venus Williams prevailed in a three-setter but French open champion Jelena Ostapenko and 13th seed Kristina Mladenovic crashed out of Rogers Cup with first round defeats yesterday.

Williams outlasted a lengthy rain delay to beat Romanian opponent Irina-Camelia Begu  6-1 3-6 6-3.

Earlier, Mladenovic was swept aside 6-2 6-3 by Czech Barbora Strycova while Ostapenko fell to American 12th seed Varvara Lepchenko  1-6, 7-6, 7-6.

Petra Kvitova beat Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 7-6.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka advanced 6-1 4-1 when Britain’s heather Watson retired injured while Russian Daria Kasatkina battled past Italy’s Roberta Vinci 7-6,7-6.