Tough at the top: Angelique Kerber survives scare at Wuhan Open in first match as number one
The German beat Kristina Mladenovic 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-4, on Tuesday to set-up a third round meeting with two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova
Angelique Kerber survived a scare in her first match as world number one before beating Kristina Mladenovic in three sets at the Wuhan Open on Tuesday.
The US and Australian Open champion, who had a bye in the first round, made a convincing start before missing two set points and allowing Mladenovic to take the first set in a tiebreak.
But Germany’s Kerber then swept through the rest of the match to win 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-4, to set-up a third round meeting with two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
“I was trying to find my rhythm because I was not playing my best in the first set,” said top seed Kerber, who is set to play October’s Prudential Hong Kong Open.
Watch: Angelique Kerber v Kristina Mladenovic highlights
Kvitova said she would be trying not to think about Kerber’s new status as world number one, formalised when the rankings were updated after this month’s US Open, when they play on Wednesday.