OSAKA, Japan (AP)—Top-seeded Sam Stosur needed more than two hours to beat qualifier Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 and reach the second round of the Japan Open on Tuesday.
The sixth-ranked Stosur lost serve three times, but managed to break her Thai opponent four times to claim victory and set up a match against Misaka Doi of Japan.
In other first-round action, third-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany beat wild card Kurumi Nara of Japan 6-2, 6-1, and fourth-seeded Petra Cetkovska defeated last year’s runner-up Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan 6-2, 7-6 (2).