Camila Giorgi committed 10 double faults, but still won (photo: womenstennisjournal.net)

3^rd seed Camila Giorgi got off to a winning start at the WTA Katowice Open after pulling off a hard-fought conquest of Czech Republic’s Denisa Allertova on Monday.

The 34^th-ranked Italian got the better of her rusty service to clinch a nervy 7-5 4-6 6-4 triumph in the opening-round battle that went on for 2 hours and 39 minutes on the Centre Court.

Commenting after the win, Giorgi said that she was “happy” to win the match as she believed that the battle was “not an easy one”.

Meanwhile, 2^nd seed Alize Cornet had an ordinary day in the office, making light work of Dutch Kiki Bertens 6-1 6-3 in the other first-round outing.

Katowice Open – 1^st Round Results

V Zvonareva d. (6) K Knapp (7-5 6-4)

(3) C Giorgi d. D Allertova (7-5 4-6 6-4)

AV Uytvanck d. (4) M Rybarikova (6-2 6-3)

P Hercog d. M Doi (6-0 3-6 6-2)

(2) A Cornet d. K Bertens (6-1 6-3)