Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska has edged out Alize Cornet to reach the Rogers Cup quarter-finals and keep alive her hopes of a second straight title.

The Pole beat her French counterpart 6-2 4-6 6-4 to reach the last eight as she moves one step closer to replicating her success in Toronto from last year.

Radwanska dominated the opener, inflicting two breaks of serve in the second and eighth games to comfortably draw first blood in the best-of-three affair.

Cornet fought back with a vengeance, however, breaking Radwanska twice early on to move 3-0 ahead in what proved an unassailable lead.

Having levelled up in style, Cornet then provided a major scare for Radwanska by breaking serve en route to a 3-1 lead, but the former Wimbledon finalist fought back well with two breaks in the eighth and 10th games to clinch victory.

The sixth seed will face world number three Simona Halep next.