Sania Mirza overcame a lapse in concentration in the second set to advance to the second round of the $200,000 Thailand Open in Bangkok on Tuesday.
The Indian teen sensation beat Slovakia's Henrieta Nagyova 6-1, 4-6, 6-0.
The fifth seed overpowered the 216-ranked Nagyova in the first set, but the Slovakian then capitalised on unforced errors by the Indian to squeeze out the second set 6-4.
Sania struck back with vengance in the decider to blank her opponent and set up a clash with China's Meng Yuan.
Yuan beat the higher-ranked Aiko Nakamura of Japan 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in another first round match.
Sania also progressed in the doubles draw, teaming up with Israel's Shahar Peer to beat Carly Gullicksonn and Abigail Spers 6-2, 7-6.
Also advancing was third-seeded Argentine Gisela Dulko, who beat American Jamea Jackson 6-4, 7-5, while fourth-seeded Japanese Shinobu Asagoe was among the first-round losers.
Asagoe lost to Italian Antonella Serra Zanetti 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.
Veteran Spaniard Conchita Martinez advanced easily, whipping Thai crowd favorite Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-3, 6-2 as did France's Stephanie Foretz, who beat German lucky-loser Martina Muller 6-2, 6-0. Muller had replaced seventh-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in the draw.
Other winners on Tuesday were Japan's Saori Obata, Hungarian Melinda Czink, American Shenay Perry, Colombian Catalina Castano and Thai wild card Suchanan Viratprasert.
