Former top-ranked Victoria Azarenka has made a triumphant return to tennis after a year out to have a baby - but she first had to save three match points at the Mallorca Open.
Azarenka beat Japan's Risa Ozaki, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7) in the first-round match that started late on Tuesday but was halted due to darkness.
"There were a lot of ups and downs, good shots and then easy mistakes; that's something to expect after a long break, but definitely something I need to work on," Azarenka said after her first match since withdrawing from last year's French Open due to a knee injury
When play restarted on Wednesday, Ozaki was serving for the match but Azarenka broke her serve to stay alive and then fended off three match points.
"It was definitely complicated, having to stop and come back for a short amount of time," the 27-year-old Azarenka said.
"But it was really intense because it was the end of a third set."
Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open winner, announced she was pregnant and would step away from the courts last July. She gave birth to a boy named Leo in December.
"I definitely felt better on the tennis court, especially playing-wise," Azarenka said.
"I wouldn't say I had the best preparation coming to this tournament, but mentally it's better to go through this kind of a match."
Azarenka plays Croatia's Ana Konjuh in the next round.
Azarenka will be looking to lead Belarus in the Fed Cup final against the United States in November.
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