Vinci, Stephens into second round in Toronto

Toronto, ON – Italian Roberta Vinci and American Sloane Stephens were first-round winners Monday at the $2.369 million Rogers Cup tennis event.

Vinci, seeded 10th, needed three sets to take down Julia Goerges, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, while the 14th-seeded Stephens rolled over Kristina Mladenovic, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) on the hardcourts at Rexall Centre.

Diminutive Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova handled qualifier compatriot Jana Cepelova 7-5, 6-4. Cibulkova was a champion in Stanford two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta held off Poland's Urszula Radwanska 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; Romanian Sorana Cirstea subdued Ukrainian qualifier Olga Savchuk 6-2, 6-3; Belgian Yanina Wickmayer topped American lucky-loser Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; and German Mona Barthel overcame Chinese Zheng Jie 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-1). Mattek-Sands entered the draw when British left-hander Laura Robson pulled out with a wrist injury.

Also advancing were Czech Klara Zakopalova, Russian Anastasia Sergeyevna, Dutch qualifier Kiki Bertens and American Varvara Lepchenko.

Former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova topped former French Open titlist Li Na in last year's finale in Montreal, as this event shifts between Toronto and Montreal each year.

This week's top seed is U.S. and French Open champion and two-time Rogers Cup winner Serena Williams. Second seed Victoria Azarenka pulled out of the draw, citing a lower back injury after losing to Samantha Stosur in Sunday's final in Carlsbad, Calif.

The 2013 Rogers Cup titlist will claim $426,000.