Jankovic downs Kudryavtseva

Tianjin - Top-seeded Jelena Jankovic overcame a second-set lapse to defeat Russian Alla Kudryavtseva 6-2, 0-6, 6-0 in the first round of the Tianjin Open on Tuesday.

Jankovic was broken three times in the second set, winning only four points on her serve, but came back to break Kudryavtseva three times in the third.

Crowd favorite Peng Shuai, who grew up in Tianjin, also struggled, needing three sets to defeat Shahar Peer of Israel 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

The second-seeded Peng reached the US Open semi-finals last month, but is still looking for her first WTA Tour title.

In other matches, fourth-seeded American Varvara Lepchenko defeated Ukrainian qualifier Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-1, 6-0, while seventh-seeded Monica Puig of Puerto Rico was upset by Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-1.