Martina Hingis is through to the third round of the $565,000 WTA tournament in Los Angeles after pulling off a hard-fought victory over the United States' Lilia Osterloh.

After losing 1-6, 4-6 to Hingis at last week's San Diego competition, the 23-year-old American put up a stronger fight in their latest encounter, before eventually going down 2-6, 5-7.

Osterloh even found herself serving to take the second set, but Hingis then rallied, winning the last three games of the match with some blistering shots down the line.

"I was more concentrated in the first set," Hingis explained afterwards. "Then we kept breaking each other. Then when we got new balls at 5-4 she started missing a few."

"It was a good match," the world number one added. "I really wanted it."

Hingis, who is yet to win the Los Angeles tournament despite four previous appearances, will now face Russian 15th seed Elena Likhovtseva in the third round.

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