JOHANNA KONTA showed all her fighting spirit as she survived a scare to advance past Vania King in the second round of the Shenzhen Open.
The British No.1, seeded third, was a set and a break down to the world No.78 before mounting a fine recovery to win 1-6 6-3 6-2.
Konta, who is looking to build on a stellar 2016 which saw her climb the rankings into the top 10, was on the back foot after King had raced to the opening set in just 26 minutes, breaking twice.
And after the American broke again early in the second set Konta was staring down the barrel, trailing 3-1 and seemingly set for an early exit.
However, she reeled off five successive games to level things up and, in doing so, shattered her opponent's confidence.
An early break in the deciding set then asserted Konta's control, sending her through to a quarter-final tie with either Kristyna Pliskova or Zhang Kai-Lin.
Naomi Broady's hopes of beginning her challenge at the ASB Classic were dashed by bad weather, meanwhile.
The world number 90 had been scheduled to face Danka Kovenic of Montenegro in the opening round in Auckland but persistent rain brought an early end to proceedings on Tuesday.
Broady will now open her season against Kovenic on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Serena Williams won her first match since the US Open as she breezed past Pauline Parmentier at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Williams, who has recently become engaged, missed the final two months of the 2016 season with a shoulder injury and had not been on court since Flushing Meadows in September, but she brushed off any cobwebs to win her opening match of the year 6-3 6-4.
"It's my first match back in several months and I was playing a really good player," the 35-year-old said during her on-court interview.
"I'm feeling like I'm trying to get out there, and that every match counts. I've never played in front of you guys so this is really special for my career."
She will next play Madison Brengle after the Delawarean downed qualifier Jamie Loeb 6-4 7-6 (7-5).
Third seed Caroline Wozniacki, who will be targeting a return to the top 10 in 2017, also got her season off to a winning start, seeing off Nicole Gibbs 6-1 6-0 while fourth seed Barbora Strycova was too good for Barbora Stefkova.
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