Venus Williams opens Rogers Cup with blowout win

MONTREAL (AP) Venus Williams opened play in the Rogers Cup on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Barbora Strycova. Playing her last event before the Rio

MONTREAL (AP) Venus Williams opened play in the Rogers Cup on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Barbora Strycova.

Playing her last event before the Rio Olympics, the 36-year-old Williams finished off the overmatched Czech player in 58 minutes. Williams was coming a loss to Britain's Johanna Konta on Sunday in the final of the Bank of the West Classic in California.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion, seeded sixth, gave up 10 points in the 24-minute second set.

Williams will face Madison Keys in the third round. Keys beat fellow American Madison Brengle 6-4, 6-3.

Konta also advanced, topping Vania King of the United States 7-5, 6-1.

Fourth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-1, 7-5; seventh-seeded Roberta Vinci topped fellow Italian Camila Giorgi 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; and Slovakia's Kristina Kucova beat eighth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.