Victoria Azarenka has advanced into the third round of the Rogers Cup after beating 2012 champion Petra Kvitova in straight sets.

The Bulgarian remains on course for a first title in Toronto after brushing aside the third seed 6-2 6-3 in precisely 90 minutes.

Azarenka barely broke sweat as she cruised into a first-set lead, inflicting two breaks of serve en route to a 4-1 advantage, before seeing out the opener in comfortable fashion.

Ominously, the second set began the same way as the world number 21 broke Kvitova twice to race 4-1 ahead and leave herself two games from the next round.

Kvitova offered a brief resistance by reducing the arrears to 4-3, but it merely slowed the inevitable as Azarenka closed out the victory from there.

She faces Sara Errani in the next round.