Peer dumps Garbin to reach third round of Toronto Cup

TORONTO, Canada (Reuters) -- Shahar Peer became the first player to move into the third round of the Toronto Cup on Tuesday when the 11th-seeded Israeli eased past Italy's Tathiana Garbin 6-3 6-2.

After crashing out in the opening round in San Diego and second round exits in Stanford and Los Angeles, Peer has found her rhythm on the Toronto hard courts and reached the last 16 of the $1.3 million event without dropping set.

In opening round action, Italian qualifier Maria Elena Camerin provided the first upset of the tournament by disposing of 15th seed Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-4 6-3.

There were no such problems for Austria's Sybille Bammer, the 13th seed needing just 78 minutes to crush France's Emilie Loit 6-1 6-2 and book her spot in the second round.

Canadian hope Stephanie Dubois delighted the home crowd with a shock 6-7 6-4 7-5 win over Japan's Ai Sugiyama.

Ranked 115th in the world, Dubois had looked ready to settle for a gritty but losing effort after Sugiyama roared back from 3-0 down in the third set to take a 5-3 lead.

But the 20-year-old Canadian, stunned her 27th ranked opponent by sweeping the next four games to collect one of the biggest victories of her fledgling career.

"Even at 5-3, I told myself to be more aggressive and keep playing the way I was playing, I really believed that I could win," Dubois told reporters. "I keep playing my game but it worked out in the end. The crowd was amazing, I just believed in my shots and what I could do."

Nathalie Dechy, making her 11th consecutive appearance in the Canadian event, won the battle of WTA Tour veterans advancing with a 6-4 7-5 win over 31-year-old Swiss Emmanuelle Gagliardi.

She was joined in the second round by fellow-Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano, who dispatched compatriot Aravane Rezai 6-4 4-6 6-3. E-mail to a friend

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