2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur has won her first match since Wimbledon to reach the second round of the Southern California Open.
The fifth-seeded Stosur beat American Varvara Lepchenko 7-5 6-1 in one hour, 28 minutes in a much-needed confidence booster ahead of her return next month to Flushing Meadows for the year’s final grand slam.
Stosur’s victory set up a likely second-round clash with her part-time German doubles partner Julia Goerges.
Down to No.13 in the world rankings, Stosur was granted a wildcard after losing to Olga Govortsova in straight sets last week in the opening round of the Bank of the West Classic.
That was the Australian’s first match on a hard court since withdrawing from her quarter-final at Indian Wells in March with an ankle injury.
In other matches on Monday, Francesca Schiavone defeated her Italian countrywoman, Flavia Pennetta, 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 in a first-round match that lasted two minutes shy of three hours.
Serbian sixth seed Jelena Jankovic was to face American Mallory Burdette in a night match.