Olympics

Bouchard, Dabrowski win Olympic opener in doubles tennis

Canadians Eugenie Bouchard and Gaby Dabrowski are on to the second round in women's doubles tennis at the Rio Olympics after a three-set win over Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Paula Kania of Poland.

Canadians beat Polish opponents

Canadians Eugenie Bouchard, left, and Gabriela Dabrowski are on to the second round in doubles tennis in Rio. (Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images)

By The Canadian Press

Canada's Eugenie Bouchard and Gabriela Dabrowski defeated the Polish duo of Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Paula Kania 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in first-round women's doubles action at the Rio Olympics.

The Canadians won 67 per cent of their first service points, including 71 per cent in the decisive third set, in a match that went one hour 58 minutes.

Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., and Ottawa's Dabrowski converted seven of 11 break points, but only defended three of eight break points against.

Unforced errors were a problem for the Polish side. They committed six, while the Canadians finished with zero.

Bouchard and Dabrowski will next face either the top-ranked team of Venus and Serena Williams or the Czech duo of Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova.

The win comes a day after Bouchard breezed past Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-3 in singles competition.