Caroline Wozniacki has avoided joining some high-profile departures by beating Taylor Townsend 7-6 6-2 in the first round of the Australian Open.

The two players exchanged breaks early on in the match, and despite signs suggesting that Wozniacki was struggling on serve, the eighth seed managed to force the tie-break.

Townsend made a flurry of mistakes in the tie-break to gift the advantage to Wozniacki, who capitalised with a 7-1 success.

The Dane saved a couple of break points in the early stages of the second set, but failed to convert when Townsend offered her a similar opportunity in the next game.

However, Wozniacki would clinch the crucial break of serve in the fifth game, before breaking again to set up the victory in comfortable fashion.