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Both the women's Wimbledon champion and finalist returned to the court to kick off their North American hard-court seasons in Toronto. These are the Top 5 photos from Wednesday's action.

1. Simona Halep fought her way through a rollercoaster matchup against American Jennifer Brady. The Romanian battled back from a set down to win her Toronto opener, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5). Wednesday marked Halep's first match back since her inspiring Wimbledon victory.

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

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2. Rafael Nadal saved two set points in his Montreal opener with Great Britain's Daniel Evans, eventually pulling out a 7-6 (6), 6-4, victory. Nadal, the defending champion, is also seeking his third ATP title of the season and will next face Guido Pella. The 18-time Grand Slam champion holds a perfect 3-0 head-to-head record against the Argentine.

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

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3. Richard Gasquet claimed his eighth win over Kei Nishikori in Montreal. The Frenchman squeezed past the world No. 6, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-6 (4), to secure his spot in the tournament's third round. Gasquet's second-round victory upped his head-to-head record against the No. 5 seed to 8-3. Gasquet will face Roberto Bautista Agut on Thursday.

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

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4. Serena Williams was on form in her Toronto opener.  The three-time  Rogers Cup champion overcame Elise Mertens, 6-3, 6-3, to advance to the third round. Williams is playing in just her seventh tournament this season and hopes to gain more match play ahead of the US Open, where she will once again chase her 24th major singles title.

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

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5. Naomi Osaka advanced after just one set of work on Wednesday. The two-time Grand Slam champion eased through a 6-2 first set, before Tatjana Maria retired due to an injury. As a result of her victory, the Japanese star is in prime position to return back to No. 1 next week, unless Karolina Pliskova advances to the semifinals.

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

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Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada

Top 5 Photos, August 7: Halep, Nadal and Serena back to work in Canada