Fresh from claiming the Hopman Cup, Belinda Bencic has won her opening match at the Hobart International, outsing second seed Mihaela Buzarnescu.

World No.55 Bencic, who took out the Perth tournament with Swiss compatriot Roger Federer, came from behind to beat Buzarnescu 4-6 6-3 7-5.

Bencic battled the wind and her nerve in a final set with nine service breaks.

“It was very hard work. I’m a really emotional player on the court, and then the wind comes and I’m even more emotional,” she said.

Bencic, a former world No.7, will meet either Australian wildcard Zoe Hives or Swede Johanna Larsson in round two.

Buzarnescu, whose run to the 2018 Hobart final sparked a breakthrough season where she rose to a career-high 20, has been one of two big seeds to fall on Tuesday.

Third seed and world No.40 Zhang Shuai was upset by Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova 6-2 0-6 6-2.

It was an easy outing for 2016 winner Alize Cornet, who breezed past Australian qualifier Alison Bai 6-4 6-2 to set up a second-round match against fellow Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier.