Wozniacki survives tough battle with Chinese qualifier

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki reeled off five consecutive games to dig herself out of a hole on Tuesday and safely reach the second round of the U.S. Open.

(AAP)

With her boyfriend, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, watching from the stands at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Wozniacki was forced to work overtime to beat Chinese qualifier Duan Yingying 6-2 7-5.

Wozniacki seemed to be in cruise control after she raced through the opening set in just 35 minutes but the Danish sixth seed soon found herself in trouble, trailing 5-2 in the second.

But she regained control and won the next five games to seal victory and avoid a repeat of her first-round exit from Flushing Meadows a year ago.

(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Frank Pingue)