Montreal, QC, Canada, 26 July 2016 | Matt Trollope

Sam Stosur has survived a tough challenge from Heather Watson to advance to the second round of the WTA Rogers Cup in Montreal.

Stosur closed out the British No.2 7-5 6-3 on a rainy Monday and will next face either Daria Kasatkina or Misaki Doi.

“She never gives up so you’ve got to be prepared to play well every single game,” Stosur said.

“I kept getting up a break early in that second set and played a couple of bad service games straight afterwards to let her back in, but I was happy with the way that I finished it off the last few games.”

Earlier, Daria Gavrilova set up a second-round meeting with fifth seed Simona Halep after beating Germany’s Annika Beck.

Gavrilova beat the world No.39 6-4 6-3 in just shy of two hours, overcoming five double faults and six break points to advance.

Halep received a first-round bye.

Stosur began strongly and moved ahead 5-2 in the first set before Watson clawed her way back to 5-5.

But from there, Stosur re-focused; receiving in the 12th game leading 5-6, Stosur quickly reached 0-40 and although Watson saved the first two set points with an ace and a forehand winner, Stosur clinched it when the Brit double faulted.

In the second set, Stosur broke for a 3-1 lead. She handed the break straight back but broke in the next game and then held for 5-2.

A brief shower then passed over Centre Court but it was fleeting; two games later, the Australian had sealed her place in the second round.

“It’s a little bit frustrating sometimes when you feel like you can play a little bit better, but sometimes I’m a little bit too hard on myself,” Stosur said.

“For my first match here, it was getting a little bit windy and not so easy conditions, I’m actually pretty happy with it. So if I can rid of that frustration that would be good (laughter).”