MONTERREY, Mexico – World No.1 Angelique Kerber was taken to three sets by Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone but came away with a hard-fought victory in her opening match at the Abierto GNP Seguros.

A finalist here in 2013, Kerber was back in Monterrey after a three-year absence from the tournament and needed an hour and forty minutes to shake off the rust and move on 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 against the 36-year-old wildcard Schiavone.

“It was not so easy to find the rhythm in the first set, because she played very well from the first ball and I was trying to find my game,” Kerber told press after the victory.

“I was a little bit tight today, but after the second set I was playing my game and moving good. I’m happy that I stayed positive.”

First set goes to @Schiavone_Fra!

Grabs the opening set off Kerber 6-4! pic.twitter.com/B2csuEMq5M

— WTA (@WTA) 5 de abril de 2017

Schiavone, who previously announced that this year would be the end of her nearly two-decade-long career, opened her final Monterrey campaign in commanding fashion against the World No.1. She broke early and raced ahead to a 3-0 lead before Kerber found her footing.

Kerber stayed patient to pounce on her first opportunity as the Italian faltered while serving out the set, striking her first double fault. The German came up with a laser-accurate forehand winner to finally earn the break back, but Schiavone calmly struck back in the next game to take the set.

The World No.1 finally found her range – and her forehands – in emphatic fashion in the second set, breaking Schiavone three times in a row and dropping just three points on her own serve to take the second set in less than 15 minutes and level the match.

World No.1 @AngeliqueKerber survives!

Edges Schiavone 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 in @Abierto_GNP First round! pic.twitter.com/jw662N6zM6

— WTA (@WTA) 5 de abril de 2017

After going down an early break in the third, Schiavone finally stopped the rot of Kerber’s eight games in a row. The Italian refused to fade away and stayed within touching distance, but wasn’t able to pressure the German’s serve the way she did in the first set. Kerber didn’t face any break points and stayed solid to serve out the match and take the hard-fought opening victory.

Kerber will take on Mandy Minella in the next round after the Luxembourger defeated Elitsa Kostova in a tight straight sets earlier in the day, 7-6(3), 6-3.

“I will be looking more on my side of the court,” Kerber said. “I’ll be trying to go out and enjoy the match and try to be aggressive. I think I’ve never played against her, but I think it will be a good match as well.”