Johanna Konta let two match focuses and a telling lead slip as she lost to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. Makarova won 5 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 and will confront Lucie Safarova in round three. Makarova, 29, is positioned 42nd however stretched out her triumphant streak to seven matches subsequent to asserting the Washington title a week ago.
She was constantly liable to demonstrate a testing adversary for Konta on her arrival following a month away, yet the British number one worked her way into an ordering position.
In any case, two focuses to secure the match snuck past as she was pegged over into a tie-soften up the second set.
“I had a little bit (of nerves) before the match but during the match I felt much better, especially at the end,” said Pliskova, who claimed the number one ranking in July.
“I think it was not the best tennis from my side but I was trying to improve in the match.”
Wimbledon champion and Spanish fourth seed Garbine Muguruza beat Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 7-5 6-2, while 18-year-old American CiCi Bellis beat Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 7-5.
American ninth seed Venus Williams saw off Czech Katerina Siniakova 7-5 7-5, while Romania’s reality number two Simona Halep beat Slovakian astonishment Wimbledon semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3 6-4.
German Angelique Kerber vanquished Croatian Donna Vekic 6-4 7-6 (7-5) yet Czech 2012 champ Petra Kvitova was thumped out by American Sloane Stephens, losing 7-6 (7-4) 3 6-2.
Makarova took it after a Konta forehand mistake offered her the vital reprieve, and the Russian got the definitive break at 4-3 in the decider.
Karolina Pliskova beat Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3 6-3 in her opening match.
The 25-year-old Czech is playing in her first competition since her stun second-round thrashing at Wimbledon.
Konta, who had a first-round bye as the seventh seed, was playing her initially coordinate since losing to Venus Williams in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The Briton, 26, drove 7 5-2 yet neglected to change over two match focuses in the second set.
