Comeback win sends China's Wang Yafan through to Australian Open second round

MELBOURNE -- China's Wang Yafan came back from a set down to win her first round match at the Australian Open.

Wang, the world No 64, beat Hungary's Anna Bondar 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and 13 minutes on Tuesday afternoon to advance to the second round in singles at the Australian Open for the second straight year.

Bondar had 11 break point opportunities in the match but converted only two of them - one each in the first and third sets - while Wang capitalized on three of her six chances to break serve.

The 92nd-ranked Hungarian led 2-0 in the deciding set after getting her second break but could not consolidate the lead as Wang immediately broke back.

In the fourth game of the deciding set, Bondar had four breakpoint chances but was denied each time, with Wang eventually leveling the match at 2-2.

At 3-3, the Chinese player hit a forehand winner to break serve and take the lead in the decider.

Serving for the match at 5-4 and supported by a Chinese contingent in the crowd that had grown over the previous two hours, Wang brought up her first match point with a lob shot and finished the match with a forehand winner.

It was Wang's 36th winner for the match compared to Bondar's 29.

Wang reached the third round at the Australian Open in 2024 where she was beaten by Zheng Qinwen in a three-set thriller.

She will play ninth seed Daria Kasatkina in the second round.