Ashleigh Barty has posted her first win of the summer in a welcome boost to her Australian Open hopes.

Barty’s hard-earned 6-3 6-4 victory over Paraguayan qualifier Veronica Cepede Royg at the Sydney International on Monday was a much-needed reversal from her first-round loss last week in Brisbane.

The world No.19 next faces Sydney wildcard Ellen Perez, ensuring at least one Australian in the quarter-finals.