France's Amelie Mauresmo recovered from a set down to charge into the third round of the Australian Open in Melbourne today.
As the temperature soared, Mauresmo seemed to be struggling in the heat as she surrendered the first set to Russian Dinara Safina on the Vodafone Arena.
But the second seed hit back to claim the second set 6-1 and breezed through the decider without dropping a game to advance to the last 32.
Mauresmo has failed to reach a grand slam final since losing to Martina Hingis here in 1999, but won five titles on the WTA last season and reached the semi-finals of the US Open and quarter-finals in the other three majors.
Mauresmo, who is scheduled to face Serena Williams in the quarter-finals, said: "I had a pretty slow start I would say.
"My legs were not really moving very well and she played a good first set. She made me work a little bit more.
"But in that second and third set I felt really that I was taking control of the game and that she was going downhill a little bit physically also."
Serena Williams enjoyed an easy passage into the third round with a straight-sets victory over Dally Randriantefy of Madagascar.
Williams, seeded seventh after an injury-hit 2004 which saw her win just two tournaments and fail to add to her tally of six grand slams, had no problem easing to a 6-3 6-0 win.
Fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova put the furore surrounding her reported failed drugs test behind her as she thrashed France's Marion Bartoli.
The US Open champion, who looks certain to escape sanction even if a positive test for the stimulant ephedrine is confirmed, dropped just two games on the Margaret Court arena.
Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova had a scare before overcoming American Lindsay Lee-Waters, the 17-year-old dropping the first set on her way to a 4-6 6-0 6-3 victory.
Fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva was not so fortunate however, the ninth seed losing to compatriot Vera Douchevina 6-3 6-3.
And another Russian, Nadia Petrova, was given a real scare by 15-year-old Australian wildcard Sophie Ferguson before taking her place in the third round with a 4-6 6-0 6-1 win.
11th seed Petrova won the next two games to advance to a meeting with Magdalena Maleeva, the 22nd seed from Bulgaria.
