A - Re-born Australian tennis star Casey Dellacqua continued her stellar US Open form to take down world No.24 Sabine Lisicki in the opening round of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Dellacqua will be joined in the second round by fellow Australian Jarmila Gajdosova, who stunned former world No.5 Daniela Hantuchova in another epic 6-2 5-7 7-5.
Lisicki, who two days ago ended a three-year WTA title drought by winning the Hong Kong Open, was edged out in three sets by Dellacqua.
The 29-year-old Australian has made a remarkable comeback this season, rising to be ranked 30th in the world just a year after she had slipped outside the top 200.
She showed off her new-found fitness and trademark fighting spirit to down Lisicki 6-7 (7-5) 7-5 6-2 in just under two and a half hours.
Gajdosova was also on court for nearly two and a half hours in her tough matchup, but followed on her success from the Hong Kong Open where she reached the quarter-finals after winning two matches in a row on the WTA circuit this year.
In other matches, Victoria Azarenka dropped a set against veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm but came through to win 3-6 6-0 6-2 while eighth seed Carla Suarez Navarro saw off home favourite Kurumi Nara 6-1 2-6 6-2.
Dominika Cibulkova beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-3, while fifth seed Sara Errani was knocked out by Marina Erakovic 6-4 6-1.
Coco Vandeweghe, and Daria Gavrilova also won their first-round matches.
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