Katie Boulter Advances to Third Round of Canadian Open After Haddad Maia Retires Injured

British Number One Benefits from Quick Exit of Brazilian Opponent

British number one Katie Boulter reached the third round of the Canadian Open in Toronto, but not without a bit of unexpected help. Her opponent, Beatriz Haddad Maia, was forced to retire injured after just two games, allowing Boulter to advance with minimal play.

Haddad Maia, the world number 33 and 13th seed, struggled with a lower back issue from the outset. Despite receiving treatment after the first game, the Brazilian could not continue and retired when Boulter leveled the first set at 1-1. The premature end of the match marked a bittersweet victory for Boulter, who advances to the third round for the first time in her career at this tournament.

Boulter, 28, will now face the winner of the match between world number three Aryna Sabalenka and China's Yuan Yue. The match is set to add another layer of anticipation to Boulter’s campaign as she looks to build on this unexpected but promising start.

In other notable results from the Canadian Open, American top seed Coco Gauff defeated China’s Wang Yafan with a score of 6-4 6-4. Gauff will now face Diana Shnaider, who secured her place in the second round by defeating Britain’s Harriet Dart in the opening round.

Third seed Jessica Pegula continued her strong form with a 7-5 6-4 victory over Karolina Pliskova. Meanwhile, world number 17 Anna Kalinskaya delivered a commanding performance to overcome Lesia Tsurenko with a 6-2 6-2 win.

As the tournament progresses, Boulter’s progress will be closely watched, and her unexpected path to the third round could set the stage for a memorable performance in Toronto.