TOKYO (AP) — Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic rallied from a set down to beat American teenager Madison Keys 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the Pan Pacific Open on Monday.
The seventh-seeded Safarova saved eight of 10 break points to oust the unseeded Keys and advance to the second round, where she will face wild-card entry Belinda Bencic of Switzerland.
Bencic defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-3, 6-0.
Top-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany has a first-round bye, as does second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who won the event in 2010.
In other first-round matches, Elina Svitolina of Ukraine defeated Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-1, while Garbine Muguruza of Spain beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 6-3, 7-6 (3).
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