Pennetta advances into Serena's path

Italy's Flavia Pennetta breezed past Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski 6-4, 6-1 Monday at the WTA Rogers Cup, booking a second-round date with world number one Serena Williams.

Williams, who like all top seeds received a first-round bye at the US Open hardcourt tuneup event, has won all six prior matches against the Italian, who will be the US superstar's first hardcourt foe since winning her fourth Grand Slam title in a row last month at Wimbledon.

"It's going to be nice because I'll play one of the best players ever," Pennetta said. "But it's good because she's the hardest test and I'll see where my game is."

Williams, who has dropped only one career set to Pennetta, is trying to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam and match Steffi Graf with an Open Era-record 22 Grand Slam singles crowns by winning the US Open, which starts in three weeks at New York.

Rain hit the Canadian tournament after Pennetta's victory, washing out much of the day's schedule.
Source: AFP