Kerber weathers Pavlyuchenkova storm in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI, OH, USA - No.4 seed Angelique Kerber won her 40th match of 2018 - and her first match since claiming her third major title at Wimbledon - rallying from a set down to defeat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 at the Western & Southern Open.

"I think this was really a match where I was fighting after the first set to coming back," Kerber said after the match. "I think that that was really an important match for me, to get my rhythm, feel the ball, play tough and close matches again, especially now after few weeks off.

"This is the matches why I'm here. For me, the first matches are always not so easy coming to the tournament. I think at the end I'm quite happy to be through."

Kerber fell in the opening round of the Coupe Rogers to Alizé Cornet, but put on a gritty performance to outlast the Russian and a hours-long rain delay, advancing after two hours and 41 minutes on Grandstand court.

Pavlyuchenkova beat Kerber three times in 2017 - including at the season-ending Henqin Life WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai - but the German won their most recent encounter at the Miami Open in straight sets.

"She's playing good. She played for so many years on a really high level. She has always great results, beating top players. She's always a tough opponent for me, because she's going for all the balls, for the shots.

"I know always that I have to move good, fight with her. It's always a tough match. I think it's always like one, two, three balls which decide our matches. This makes a big challenge when I play against her."

Edging ahead an early break, Kerber was pegged back and was on serve in the opening set before the rain came in Cincinnati.

Returing to court later on Wednesday evening, Pavlyuchenkova broke serve to take the set but twice fell behind in the second set.

Kerber was poised to force a decider at 5-3 but the Russian broke back to get within two games of the upset.

The Wimbledon champion stepped up from there, winning the next four games and holding on for dear life to secure victory on her first match point.

"I think especially the movement is a little bit different [on hardcourts]. I mean, it's not sliding like clay, but you are moving different than on grass. You are not so low like when you play on the grass courts. The balls are flying a little bit different. You have to move your feet much more. The balls are standing. They are not coming like you play on grass.

"So there are few things that you have to adjust when you make the transition grass to hardcourt. I still need a little bit more time, I think, to really have my feeling where I'm playing like I played the matches before the clay court season on hardcourt."

In all, Kerber struck 27 winners to 37 unforced errors; while Pavlyuchenkova managed 12 more winners, she ultimately struggled with unforced errors throughout, finishing with 59 in total.

Up next for the veteran is another tough opponent in No.13 seed Madison Keys, who dispatched Italy's Camila Giorgi earlier in the day.

"I have to adjust to her game a little bit. It will be a really big hitter match. She's serving good. She's playing the first few balls really hard, and she's going for it.

"I will just try to find my rhythm, play maybe a little bit better than today and just take the chance to having a next match here, take the challenge against another good player and, of course, to go out with everything I can give tomorrow."