Kuznetsova struggles through

Svetlana Kuznetsova survived a second-set scare to come through her first-round match at the Medibank International in Sydney against fellow Russian Alisa Kleybanova today.

The third seed dropped her serve three times as she won 6-2 6-7 (3/7) 7-5 in two hours and 22 minutes.

Fifth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva enjoyed a more comfortable passage into the second round with a 6-2 7-5 success over Italy's Francesca Schiavone.

Elsewhere, Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia beat France's Virginie Razzano 6-3 6-0.