Jankovic survives Kuala Lumpur opener

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic round match Tuesday at the $220,000 Malaysian Open.

The second-seeded Jankovic outlasted Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-6 (7-2) in just under three hours on the hardcourts at Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Kiara Resort.

The former U.S. Open runner-up Jankovic will meet veteran American Jill Craybas in the second round on Thursday. The 37-year-old Craybas moved on with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 decision against Japanese Yurika Sema.

Three other seeds advanced on Day 2, as No. 3 Chinese Peng Shuai defeated Austrian Yvonne Meusburger 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, No. 4 Aussie Jarmila Gajdosova overcame German Kathrin Woerle 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, and No. 6 Japanese Ayumi Morita drilled Thai Nudnida Luangnam 6-4, 6-0.

An upset came when qualifier Su-Wei Hsieh of Taipei upended eighth-seeded Brit Anne Keothavong 6-4, 7-5.

Additional opening-round wins came for Greek Eleni Daniilidou, Czech qualifier twin sisters Kristyna Pliskova and Karolina Pliskova, and Aussie Casey Dellacqua.

A first-round match for last week's Dubai champion, top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, was postponed because of rain on Tuesday. The Polish world No. 5 will face Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova on Wednesday.

Also seeing action on Wednesday will be reigning Kuala Lumpur champion Jelena Dokic, as the seventh seed will battle fellow Aussie Olivia Rogowska in the second round.

Dokic topped Czech Lucie Safarova in last year's finale here to capture her first WTA title in nine years.

This week's titlist will earn $37,000.