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Carol Zhao gains valuable experience despite opening-round defeat at Rogers Cup

While tennis royalty along with a fellow Canadian took over centre court at the north end of Rexall Centre on Monday night, little-known Carol Zhao was busy at the opposite side of the complex taking on 31st ranked Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in first round action at the Rogers Cup in Toronto.

Just 24 hours prior, the No. 536th-ranked Zhao recorded an upset victory over Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu to qualify for her first main draw.

Although the 18-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont. was defeated by the Russian in straight sets (6-1, 6-3), she took it in stride and gave credit to her more experienced opponent. "I think (Monday) my opponent was definitely a better player than me... (I have) lots to learn," Zhao said.

Zhao showed flashes of her potential early in the second set before being eliminated."In the second set, I found a bit of momentum...I wasn't able to keep it," Zhao said. "Next step is trying to prolong that stretch of momentum."

It was an extra special long weekend for Zhao as she grew up watching the tournament as well as playing at Rexall Centre. "I would line up and watch the pros practice and try to get their autograph," Zhao recalled. "Now I'm on the other side of the fence, so that's pretty cool...a match like (Monday's), even if the result wasn't what I wanted, to have the crowd on your side. It's a very special feeling."

Across the way from the grandstand court where Zhao was battling, Eugenie Bouchard was also stepping into what is hopefully a new echelon in her career. Bouchard and her partner, tennis legend Monica Seles -winner of nine career Grand Slam championships - took on Serena and Venus Williams in an exhibition hit-and-giggles doubles match.

The 19-year-old from Westmount, Que., is coming off a strong run at Wimbledon where she advanced to the third round and is currently the highest ranking Canadian woman in the world at No. 62. Bouchard plays Russian Alisa Kleybanova on centre court Tuesday night.

Zhao looks at Bouchard's rise as a catalyst for herself and other Canadians in the sport. "I'm so happy for all her success. I see how hard she works off the court for it," Zhao said. "I think her recent climb up the rankings gives us a lot of motivation to do the same."

Zhao, who won a Grand Slam junior title in doubles at the Australia Open in February, will soon be headed to Stanford University for her freshman year as a student-athlete at the California school.