Defending champion and world number three Garbine Muguruza was given a real scare by her opponent Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania at the China Open, digging deep to win her opening match in three sets on Saturday.

"I am satisfied with my performance. Last time we played it's a very tough match, so I know today I had to go out there, be calm, go shot after shot and to be super aggressive," said Muguruza.

Begu, the world number 26, was hitting groundstrokes hard at the baseline from the start of the first round match, and reeled off five games to lead at 5-1 in the opening set. Begu won the set at 6-2 with both players holding serve in the next two games.

In the second set, Muguruza, this season's French Open winner, regained her momentum and took a 3-1 lead after a break. Begu broke back immediately but the Spanish answered with two more to level the match.

In the deciding third set, Begu still managed some sizzling play, but it's Muguruza who called the shots. The Spanish took the set at 6-3 and advanced into the second round of the WTA Premier event.

Puerto Rico's Rio Olympic champion Monica Puig was taught a lesson by Yanina Wickmayer from Belgium, losing 6-2, 6-0 in the opening round.

After leading 2-1 in the opening set, Puig dropped 11 games in a row to lose her match in disgrace. In the just ended Wuhan Open, Puig also lost in the opening round.

Elsewhere, Sabine Lisicki of Germany defeated Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia 6-2, 6-2 while in an all-Russian match, Ekaterina Makarova swept past compatriot Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-1.

Source : XINHUA