Stevens, the former world number three, who won the title in Miami in 2018, took an hour and 39 minutes to defeat her Hungarian opponent.
“It’s a great competition, of course. It was a tough match, but I’m happy to get through it and apply my style of play,” said Stephens, the former US Open (Flushing Meadows) champion who is participating in the Miami Championships for the 10th time.
“This tournament has always been a special place for me, I always do well here, I love playing here and coming back here. So it’s good to win, especially with friends and family,” Stephens said, in comments published by the WTA on her website
Stephens will face an all-American match in the second round, where she will take on 16th seed Jessica Pegola for the tournament.
Pegula won his only previous match, against Stevens, at the Indian Wells Championships last year.
Switzerland’s Victoria Gulbis also qualified for the second round by defeating Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, while China’s Qiang Wang defeated American Ashlyn Krueger 4-6, 7-5, 6. /two.
The first round was also witnessed last night, the Czech Marie Buzkova beat the German Laura Sigmund 6/1, 6/2 and the other Czech Katerina Siniakova beat the Canadian Rebecca Marino 3/6, 6/2, 6/ 1.