Eugenie Bouchard easily dispatches Dominika Cibulkova to move into the Rogers Cup third round for the first time

MONTREAL – Things are falling into place for Genie Bouchard at this Rogers Cup, in that same way they did in 2014 in that when the draws opened up and opportunity knocked, the 22-year-old Montrealer eagerly answered the door.

After a surprisingly routine 6-2, 6-0 win over No. 11 Dominika Cibulkova Wednesday night, Bouchard faces a potentialy far easier task Thursday night when she faces a qualifier, No. 121-ranked Kristina Kucova, for a spot in the Rogers Cup quarter-finals.

If she can win that one, her quarter-final opponent would be the winner between Johanna Konta (whom she beat earlier this month at Wimbledon, on Konta's home ground) or lucky loser Varvara Lepchenko of the U.S., who occupies the very top spot in the draw first owned by Serena Williams and then, after her withdrawal, by No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza (who also withdrew).

Cibulkova was a shadow of her typical bulldog self Wednesday night and alluded to a health problem that will have her flying back to her native Bratislava to consult with her doctor and puts her Olympic participation in jeopardy. Where she was all over Bouchard in their match at Wimbledon and the Canadian disappointed herself with her attitude and effort, the tables were turned in Montreal.

That only helped Bouchard's cause. Knowing the quality of her opponent, she had to be on her guard for a resurgence at any time. Except it never happened. And as the match went on, and after Bouchard secured the early break in each set (and fought off five break points in her first service game of the second set), her confidence only increased.

Here's what the two had to say about the match afterwards.

Bouchard said later that she hadn't been feeling very good all day following a gastric inflammation Wednesday evening. But that it wasn't something that was going to affect her during the match when the adrenaline kicked in and, being scheduled for the second night match Thursday, she had even more time to recover.

The confidence is building for Bouchard, who credits a lot of hard work in the gym in recent weeks for being a little bit faster, and thus better able to scramble on defence.

That much was very evident in both her first-round win over Lucie Safarova and the victory Wednesday against Cibulkova.

It was also clear to many observers who were on hand for that match here two years ago against Shelby Rogers that a couple of years of maturity and perspective have allowed to deal with all the hometown "pressure" a whole lot better.

Two years ago, she often said it was a positive thing, but she didn't truly believe it. Now more experienced, it's been obvious on court this week that she's now using the crowd as fuel, and it's helping to carry her.

This is the ninth Rogers Cup for Bouchard, and the first time she has reached the third round.

Kucova, her next opponent, is a familiar foe she couldn't recall Wednesday night. Perhaps, when they meet at the net for the coin toss, it will come back to her. She won that encounter two years ago in Fed Cup in Quebec City, battling through some time times to prevail in three sets.