Sania Mirza made a positive return to competitive tennis after almost two years away with an opening-round in women’s doubles at the Hobart International on Tuesday.

The former world No 1 and partner Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine beat Oksana Kalashnikova and Miyu Kato 2-6, 7-6(3), [10-3] to advance to the quarter-finals. It was a testing opener that went to the match tiebreak after both pairs had one set each.

Mirza and Kichenok fought back after giving up the first set and took the second in the tiebreaker. The clincher was the match tiebreak which the Indo-Ukranian pair won with ease.

The unseeded duo will face the American pair of Christina McHale and Vania King next, who beat Spanish fourth seeds Georgina Garcia Perez and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Mirza is playing at a WTA tournament after two years, having taken a break due to injury and then to give birth. The 33-year-old last played at China Open in October 2017 and is currently using a protected ranking.

She will be playing at the Australian Open next week as well.