Wuhan - Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Latvian Jelena Ostapenko in two sets to book her place in the second round of the Wuhan Open on Monday.
The Czech served six aces - mirrored by her teenage opponent's six double faults - to close out the match 6-3, 6-1.
Kvitova won the inaugural Wuhan Open in 2014, but was bundled out in the third round last year by Italian Roberta Vinci.
The 26-year-old reached the semi finals at the Rio Olympics, losing to eventual gold medallist Monica Puig, but is currently ranked at No 16 - her lowest ranking in five years.
Kazakh Yulia Putintseva is also through to the second round, after Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia - who defeated third-seeded Garbine Muguruza in the second round of the US Open earlier this month - retired in the second set of their first round match.
Results from the second day of the Wuhan Open on Monday (x denotes seeding):Women's singles
1st round
Petra Kvitova (CZE x14) bt Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 6-3, 6-1
Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) bt Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 6-1, 4-1 (ret)
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x10) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
Madison Brengle (USA) bt Heather Watson (GBR) 6-3, 2-1 (ret)
Misaki Doi (JPN) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x15) 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 3-1 (ret)