Samantha Stosur struggles to opening round victory over lowly Lee in Hong Kong Tennis Open

Lee began brightly and managed a break to love in the third game of a back-and-forth opening set, and extended her lead to 3-1. But that seemed to stun the Australian into action and she claimed the next five games to wrap up the first set in 37 minutes.

Former US Open champion Stosur was in control as she moved into a 3-1 lead in the second set, before the 22-year-old Taiwanese hit back and surprisingly levelled the match by taking her second set point.

Stosur then started the third set with a swift break of serve before going 2-0 up. Lee hit back with a break, but the veteran’s class eventually shone through and Stosur wrapped up victory in a minute under two hours.

“I played well, I was happy with the third set in the way I finished it off quickly,” said Stosur. “Playing someone like her, she has nothing to lose. She came out swinging.

“The third set I stepped it up and hit some winners. Once I got that lead I was able to keep it up.”