Canada’s Bouchard cruises into French Open second round with win over Peer

PARIS – Montreal’s Eugenie Bouchard overcame a rain interruption of nearly 90 minutes before moving into the second round of the French Open with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Israel’s Shahar Peer on Tuesday.

Bouchard, the 18th seed, beat Peer for the second time this season and fourth in her career over 58 minutes of actual playing time.

The 20-year-old former junior Wimbledon champion arrived to Roland Garros with her highest career WTA ranking. Bouchard moved up to 16th after winning her first WTA title on Saturday, beating Karolina Pliskova in the final of the Nuremberg clay court tournament.

Bouchard had a 3-1 lead in the second set when the weather turned wet. She won the first seven games of the match against Peer, reaching 4-0 in 13 minutes and polishing off the opener in a brisk 27 minutes.

Peer finally won the third game of the second set but was never a threat.

When the pair returned, Bouchard extended her second-set lead to 4-1 and saved a break point for a 5-2 lead before breaking Peer in the final game to advance on a second match point.

Three other Canadians were due on court as the weather remained poor.

Sharon Fichman, of Toronto, was facing sixth seed Jelena Jankovic, and qualifier Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., was to play Romanian Sorana Cirstea.

Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil was playing his first-round men’s match against Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili.