Roberta Vinci has reached the last 16 of the US Open after coming through a tough match against Carina Witthoeft 6-0 5-7 6-3 on Friday.
Last year's runner-up began the contest brightly and did not drop a single game as she put her German opponent, ranked 102nd in the world, to the sword.
Vinci was two points from victory while serving at 5-4 in the second set, but Witthoeft broke back, part of a run of four straight games to even the match.
The seventh-seeded Italian then went up a break to start the third, only for her opponent to later get the set back on serve, but Vinci won the last three games to move on.
