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Melbourne - Lucie Safarova rode her luck en route to a remarkable victory at the Australian Open when she saved nine match points before beating Yanina Wickmayer on Tuesday.
The Czech veteran saved five match points on her own serve in the second set and another four in the tiebreaker before winning 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1 to reach the second round.
Belgium's Wickmayer looked crestfallen afterwards and said was feeling "definitely not good" after letting slip so many opportunities.
"It's not fun," she said, adding: "I think she served very well on certain points and other points I didn't go for enough.
"But I think it's normal when you have match point and you want to play it a little bit safe. Then after, you realise it's not the best option.
"She did well and I wasn't as aggressive as I should have been on the big points."
Safarova, a quarter-finalist in 2007, may need more good fortune in her next match, when she plays six-time champion Serena Williams.
