Australian Open: Lucie Safarova saves nine match points before win

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.