World number three Amelie Mauresmo overcame a sluggish start to put down an unexpectedly stiff challenge from China's Sun Tiantian 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday.
Unseeded Sun, ranked 103rd in the world, pounced on a slow start by the 1999 Melbourne finalist, using a strong forehand to break Mauresmo's serve twice in the opening set at Rod Laver Arena.
Third seed Mauresmo ground her way back into the match in the second set, grabbing a crucial break in the sixth game. She broke again at the same stage of the deciding set as Sun's forehand and service game began to crumble.
The powerful Frenchwoman had her ground strokes working well by that stage and claimed victory after almost two hours when Sun pushed a backhand wide on the final point.
Results from the Australian Open women's singles Round 1 matches:
Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) beat Rika Fujiwara (Japan) 2-6, 6-1, 7-5
21-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia and Montenegro) beat Shenay Perry (United States) 6-4, 6-4
3-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Tiantian Sun (China) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (Spain) beat Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) 6-4, 6-3
31-Gisela Dulko (Argentina) beat Maret Ani (Estonia) 6-0, 7-6(7)
Jamea Jackson (United States) beat Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) 7-6(5), 6-2
Shinobu Asagoe (Japan) beat Shahar Peer (Israel) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
12-Anastasia Myskina (Russia) beat Yuliana Fedak (Ukraine) 7-6(6), 6-1
7-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) 6-4, 6-3
5-Mary Pierce (France) beat Nicole Pratt (Australia) 6-1, 6-1
