Samantha Stosur advanced to the second round at Wimbledon with a three-set win over Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States on Tuesday.

The Australian 18th seed won 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 in two hours and 12 minutes.

She next faces German qualifier Tatjana Malek, who beat Australia’s Jelena Dokic 3-6 7-5 6-2.

Stosur was pleased with her ability to stamp her authority on the deciding set after blowing two match points in the second.

“It’s always tough after losing a second set after having match points, but on both of them she played really good points,” Stosur said.

“I knew going into the third I was still feeling good and nothing was going bad.

“At the start of the third I tried to put my foot down and got off to a good start which was exactly what I needed.”

Last year, Stosur led 18th seed Nicole Vaidisova 4-1 the third set of their second-round match only to crumble, and she subsequently vowed not to let the same thing happen again.

“Today mentally I was very good, I couldn’t really ask too much more of myself in that respect,” Stosur said.

“You’re always faced with different situations that may not go your way, but it’s how you handle it and I think today I did it really well.”

After a tentative start, French Open semi-finalist Stosur converted the first of three break points with a smash to take a 4-3 lead and won the next game to love with a sharp backhand volley.

Stosur was forced to save two break points with her thunderous serve before winning the first set when Mattek-Sands sent a return long.

In the second set, Stosur surrendered a break point in the seventh game and fought off two in the tenth before forcing the tie-break.

Mattek-Sands saved the two match points to draw level at 6-6 before prevailing.

Stosur came out firing after the break and raced to a 5-0 lead, but was forced to wait for victory when she was broken while serving for the match.

The 25-year-old Queenslander broke back immediately, however, to convert her first match point of the set.

© AAP 2012

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