PARIS: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova fought back from a set down to beat Paraguayan Veronica Cepede Royg and reach the French Open second round on Monday.
The eighth seed struggled early on Court Philippe Chatrier, but came through 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 to set up a meeting with Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena.
The 28-year-old Kvitova is one of the favourites to win a maiden Roland Garros title after winning four titles this season, including on clay in Prague and Madrid.
"I've won 12 matches straight on clay, but I'm still a long way from Rafa," she said in reference to Rafael Nadal's upcoming bid for an 11th men's singles crown.
Cepede Royg, who surprisingly reached the last 16 in Paris last year, claimed the first set courtesy of a single break of the Kvitova serve.
But the Czech roared back, racing through the second set in only half an hour, before holding her nerve in a tight decider as Cepede Royg dropped serve in the 11th game.
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