It wasn’t pretty but Ashleigh Barty knows the ceiling is high as she settles into her French Open groove.

The world No.8 took the bumpy road against unheralded American Jessica Pegula into the second round, where she will play Australian Open semi-finalist Danielle Collins.

The Australian title hope prevailed 6-3 6-3 in exactly an hour but it was hardly as straightforward as the scoreline suggested.

Barty led 4-0 and 2-0 in both sets, only to surrender those breaks of serve and still find a way home.

Trailing 2-3, the 23-year-old dug herself out of a hole at 0-40 in the second set, holding serve and not losing another game.

“A little bit scratchy, but solid enough when I needed it,” she summed up.

“There were moments in the match when it was tighter, but I was able to be really solid again and do the basics well.

“I think I just did enough to give myself an opportunity to play another match.”

That will be against a more accomplished American in Collins, the world No.36, who charged to the final four in Melbourne and dropped just two games against Tatjana Maria on the way into the second round on Monday.

Barty beat Collins 6-1 1-6 6-1 earlier this month in Madrid.

“It was a match that ebbed and flowed – probably one of the most bizarre matches I have ever played in my life,” she said.

“There are a few things I picked up and obviously I found a way to win that match, so there are some good things that came out of it.”