Serena Williams has defeated Vera Dushevina 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in three hours and 26 minutes in the first round of Madrid, saving a match point along the way.
Williams called for the trainer in the middle of the third set with an upper leg problem and recovered from a 4-0 deficit in the third-set tiebreak to win. Dushevina, who had her arm heavily taped, held match point in the second set after recovering from an early break.
Williams lost a third-set tiebreak to Jelena Jankovic in the semifinals of Rome last week.