Top seed Ana Ivanovic had to battle hard before overcoming Vera Dushevina of Russia 6-1 4-6 6-4 in the first round of the US Open.
The French Open champion looked set for an easy win when she raced through the opening set, but lost her way after taking a 4-2 lead in the second set.
However, she recovered to clinch victory in just over two hours.
She was joined in the second round by sixth seed Dinara Safina, who saw off American Kristie Ahn 6-3 6-4.
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But there was disappointment for 11th seed Daniela Hantuchova, who was crushed 6-4 6-2 by German qualifier Anna-Lena Groenefeld.
Ivanovic was playing her first match since being forced to pull out of the Olympics with a thumb injury.
The world number one will face Julie Coin of France or Australian Casey Dellacqua in the second round.
The Serb has never got beyond the fourth round at Flushing Meadows but an early defeat this year would leave her ranking under threat.
Jelena Jankovic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Serena Williams, Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina all have a mathematical chance of becoming world number one if any of them reach the final.
(BBC)
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