Iga Świątek took time to get going but found her way past Jule Niemeier, beating the German 6-4, 7-5 in the first round of the Australian Open.
In a rematch of their US Open fourth-round meeting where Świątek battled from a set and break down to prevail, the Pole revved up her backhand to save two breakpoints before a nervy hold as Niemeier gave her little room to work the angles.
But the top seed targeted world number 68 Niemeier's serve to grab the decisive break and with it the opening set, before surrendering serve early in the next only to hit back from 0-2 down to level at 5-5 and seal the victory.
Three-time major champion Świątek continues her quest for a fourth major trophy when she meets Colombia's Camila Osorio in the second round.
Earlier on Rod Laver Arena, defending men's champion Rafael Nadal shrugged off a rocky build-up to reach the second round with a four-set win over an ailing Jack Draper.
Spaniard Nadal came into Melbourne Park with only one victory since the US Open and was on the back foot against Draper on a warm and humid afternoon, before cramping trouble struck the 21-year-old Briton.
With Draper reduced to a groaning wreck, Nadal finished strongly to close out the match 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.
A year on from his five-set win over Daniil Medvedev in the men's final, Nadal was just happy to get through to his next match against American Mackenzie McDonald.
"If we put it in the perspective of what I've been through in the last six months, it was a positive start," the 36-year-old said in his on-court interview.
"I played against one of the toughest opponents possible in the first round. He's young, he has the power and I think he has a great future in front [of him]."
Nadal's win will have been a relief for Australian Open organisers following Nick Kyrgios's withdrawal from the tournament on the eve of his first match as a result of a knee injury.
Among other men's results late on day one, third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas moved into the second round after beating France's Quentin Halys 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) in exactly two hours at Margaret Court Arena.
Great Britain's Cameron Norrie breezed into the second round after the 11th seed defeated French wildcard Luca Van Assche 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 6-3.
But 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka was knocked out after the Swiss pushed Alex Molcan to a five-setter that lasted nearly four-and-a-half hours before the Slovak won 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.
Reuters
