Badosa escapes wild card Tararudee in three-set Hua Hin opener

Paula Badosa

View Profile was forced to fight hard by 19-year-old wild card Lanlana Tararudee

View Profile in the first round of the Thailand Open, coming through 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in 1 hour and 57 minutes.

The Thai teenager, who was playing her second tour-level match, made a fast start, impressing with her backhand and net play in particular as she dominated the first set.

But, serving at 4-5 in a tight second set, No.298-ranked Tararudee coughed up a pair of double faults. With the momentum in hand, Badosa took control of the decider.

"Her level surprised me," the Spaniard said in her on-court interview. "I think she has a great future. Credits to her, she played well. I had to stay there, I had to wait for my moment."

Elsewhere in Hua Hin,  Viktorija Golubic

View Profile was at her creative best in the first round of the Thailand Open, dipping into her bag of tricks en route to defeating Laura Pigossi

View Profile 6-1, 6-2.

The Swiss player reached match point with a flourish, swishing her racquet like a magic wand as she carved through a forehand approach. Pigossi's defense meant that Golubic still had to improvise once at net, where she showed off her full repertoire of volleys. A high backhand was followed by a florid chop, laden with spin. Finally a reflexed backhand down the line was enough to get past Pigossi.

Watch: Viktorija Golubic

View Profile 's Hua Hin hot shot

Meanwhile, Diana Shnaider

View Profile posted her first victory of 2024 in style, upsetting No.1 seed Magda Linette

View Profile 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. The 19-year-old's forehand on the run was on song as she took out the 2020 champion, and she will next face Badosa.

Two comebacks were halted at the first hurdle. Former World No.12 Wang Qiang returned to action following a 16-month hiatus, but was defeated 6-1, 6-1 in her first match since Tokyo 2022 by No.5 seed Wang Xiyu in 58 minutes. Meanwhile, qualifier Dalma Galfi

View Profile needed just 68 minutes to race past wild card Ajla Tomljanovic

View Profile 6-3, 6-0.

Highlights: Shnaider d. Linette | Hibino d. Rakhimova

Nao Hibino

View Profile pulled off a remarkable turnaround to defeat Kamilla Rakhimova

View Profile 7-6(4), 6-0. The Japanese player trailed Rakhimova 5-0 in the first set before winning 13 of the next 14 games. She saved three set points in the opener: one down 5-0 and two more down 5-4, all on her own serve.