World number nine Angelique Kerber safely bypassed the challenge of Kaia Kanepi on Tuesday to move into the second round of the Apia International Sydney.
In the last warm-up event prior to the Australian Open, which begins next week, Kerber beat the five-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist in straight sets.
Kanepi was immediately on the back foot after losing the opening game on serve, and her German opponent did not offer her a chance to draw level on the way to taking a 5-2 lead by breaking her again in the seventh game.
The Estonian then did take the last of three break points to pull a game back, but it proved to only be a temporary reprieve as Kerber broke back immediately to clinch the opening set.
The second went with serve, and with Kerber holding all of her games in the process of dropping only four points, it seemed to be heading for a tie-break before the 25-year-old broke in the 10th game to secure a 6-3 6-4 victory in 71 minutes.
Joe Fish
