Lindsay Davenport lost the second but recovered in the deciding set to win her first-round match 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 over Sara Errani at the Australian Open on today, her first major since giving birth last June and after taking an extended layoff.

Davenport has had extraordinary success since coming back from the birth of son Jagger Jonathan Leach, winning three titles in four events, including last week's Auckland tournament.

She is now 19-1 during the span, including previous wins over Errani at Auckland and Bali.

"I didn't think my body would bounce back as fast as it has after giving birth, and the strain of pregnancy," she said before the tournament began. "So I'm excited now about going to the huge stage of the Australian Open and seeing what can happen."

Getting beyond the first round didn't nearly happen.

Davenport's backhand went missing for much of the second set, the winds seemed to bother her on serve, and she frequently gave up on shots she knew she couldn't reach.

When Davenport tried to get back into the second set, on serve and trailing 4-3, two lovely drop shots by the Italian player gave Errani a break. In the next game, she took the set.

Leading 5-4 in the deciding set, Davenport had an extended argument with chair umpire Emmanuel Joseph of France when he overruled a linesman on a point to give Errani, who was serving, a 15-0 lead.

"You're now overruling the far line at 5-4 in the third set, are you crazy?" Davenport said.

She regained her composure and had match point later in the game, but Errani's backhand to an open court saved it. Errani saved another match point in the same game and held to tie it 5-5.

But 31-year-old Davenport, broken twice in the set, won it on her third match point in the 12th game when Errani hit a forehand into the net.