(BSS/AFP) - Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin opened her 2026 season with a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriele Ruse in the Brisbane International on Sunday.

Kenin, who won the Australian Open as a 21-year-old in 2020, recovered from a second-set lapse to outlast Ruse and set up a second-round clash against seventh seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.

"My last match was in October so it was definitely weird. But I trusted the pre-season I had and I felt like I was playing good tennis," said the 27-year-old American.

"She is a really tough player and I had to stay with it, definitely wasn`t easy."

Australian wildcard Ajla Tomljanovic eased into the second round with a 6-1, 6-3 win over France`s Elsa Jacquemot and will now play 11th seed Karolina Muchova.

"I had such a great preparation but you never know when that first match comes, anything can happen on the day," Tomljanovic said.

"I was hoping to do at least 80 percent of what I`ve been practising and I think I did even more. This feels amazing."

In the men`s draw, American Francis Tiafoe was too strong for Australian wildcard Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 6-2.