Charleston, SC, USA, 2 April 2014 | tennis.com.au

Sam Stosur is the first player through to the third round of the Family Circle Cup in Charleston following a three-set win over Yaroslava Shvedova on Tuesday.

Stosur, seeded seventh, overcame the Kazakh 6-3 5-7 6-1 and next faces ninth-seeded nemesis Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in the last 16.

Safarova has beaten Stosur in eight of their 10 career meetings, including the last five – all in straight sets, no less.

The Australian, returning to Charleston after an injury-induced withdrawal in 2013, rebounded strongly after Shvedova closed out the second set with a forehand winner.

Stosur promptly raced to a 4-0 in the decider, and closed out the match in a touch over two hours.

The 30-year-old won the Charleston title in 2010, and reached the semifinals in 2012.