Emma Raducanu recovered from a set and a break down to defeat Linda Fruhvirtova in her opening match of 2023 at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
The former US Open champion prevailed 4-6 6-4 6-2 over the Czech teenager in two hours and 37 minutes to set up a second-round showdown with Slovakian qualifier Viktoria Kuzmova.
Raducanu missed four chances to break in the penultimate game of the first set before being broken herself, and Fruhvirtova roared into a 2-0 lead in the second set.
However, the British number one proceeded to win four games on the bounce to turn the tide in her favour, although she let Fruhvirtova come back to 40-30 from a 40-0 lead before serving out the set.
In a match that was disrupted by rain, Raducanu came out all guns blazing in the third set, winning five games in a row before being broken by Fruhvirtova while serving for the match.
Raducanu squandered three match points on the 17-year-old's serve to see her lead cut from 5-0 to 5-2, and she also fell 0-30 down in the final game, but she kept her composure and sealed a three-set win as Fruhvirtova sent a backhand long.
The 20-year-old is on a collision course to meet Venus Williams in the semi-finals, with the seven-time Grand Slam winner beating Katie Volynets in her first singles match since 2021 and set to meet China's Lin Zhu in the second round on Wednesday.
Ben Knapton
