BANGKOK, Oct 10: Wildcard Virginia Ruano-Pascual from Spain cruised through to the second round of the US$200,000 PTT Thailand Open after beating Japan’s Rika Fujiwara in two straight sets on Monday.

Fujiwara took a four game lead in the first set before Ruano-Pascual bounced back, but it took nearly two hours for the Spaniard to defeat the Japanese 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).

Ruano-Pascual will now meet the winner of the game between Jamea Jackson from the United States and the tournament’s third-seed, Gisela Dulko of Argentina.

The Spaniard said after the match that she had struggled in the first set.

Despite reaching the semifinal of the Volvo tournament in the Thai resort city of Pattaya earlier this year, her game needs a lot of work, she said.

Ruana-Pascual said it was too early to think about winning the tournament, as she would think about winning each match, step by step.

In the other match on Monday, world number 183 from China, Meng Yuan, defeated Aiko Nakamura from Japan 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

Results: Singles first round Meng Yuan (CHN) bt Aiko Nakamura (JPN) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Virginia Ruano-Pascual (ESP) bt Rika Fujiwara (JPN) 7-5, 7-6 (7-5); Shahar Peer (ISR) bt Severine Bremond (FRA) 6-3, 6-4; Martina Sucha (SVK) bt Yoon Jeong Cho (KOR) 6-4, 6-1