The second seed Peng Shuai of China has struggled through to the second round of the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland, after beating 2008 runner-up Aravana Rezzai of France.
Shuai won the match 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The two time grand slam winner and third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova has had a straight sets win over American Allison Riske 6-3, 6-2.
Last year's runner-up and seventh seed Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium also had a first up win, beating Karolina Pliskova of the Czech republic, in straight sets.