Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 4 March 2015 | AAP

Australia’s Jarmila Gajdosova fought through illness to eliminate her first-round opponent at the Malaysia Open, but countrywoman Casey Dellacqua fell to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei.

Gajdosova is still battling an illness which had hampered her preparations for the WTA tournament in steamy Kuala Lumpur, but her class shone through in the 7-5 6-4 win over Turkey’s Cagla Buyukakcay on Tuesday.

“Obviously it’s hard being sick for the past few days – I’ve been on antibiotics – so it’s not really easy for me to be in the heat and I thought I played pretty decent when I had to,” the fourth seed said.

“It was tough, I mean she played well and didn’t give me too much at the beginning. I had to make her run and wait for my opportunity to go for the short ball. I think at 5-3 I had a couple of set points and then some more at 5-4.

“It could have been a little bit easier, but she played well so I’m glad to be through.”

Gajdosova will face Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum in the second round for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, the world No.154 Hsieh, the tournament’s 2012 champion, bested third seed Dellacqua in three sets, prevailing 7-5 2-6 6-3 in just under two hours.

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki fared better, atoning for a first-round exit last year by easily dispatching China’s Wang Yafan 6-3 6-1, though second-seeded Sabine Lisicki bowed out with a straight sets defeat to Alexandra Dulgheru.