KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)—Seeded players Petra Martic of Croatia and defending champion Jelena Dokic of Australia won first-round matches at the Malaysian Open on Monday.
The fifth-seeded Martic rallied to defeat Erika Sema of Japan 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 after nearly two and a half hours at Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort. The seventh-seeded Dokic beat Kristina Mladenovic of France 6-3, 6-1.
Olivia Rogowska of Australia also advanced, downing Elitsa Kostova of Bulgaria 6-4, 6-0.
Two Japanese players reached the second round. Misaki Doi fended off Olga Puchkova of Russia 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, and Kurumi Nara topped Thailand’s Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 6-4, 6-3.