Defending champion Kim Clijsters started to drift on a windy day but found her footing in time to win her 15th straight match at the U.S. Open.

The second-seeded Belgian beat Hungary’s Greta Arn 6-0, 7-5 in the first round on Monday. She fell behind 4-0 in the second set, and the 104th-ranked Arn had a chance to serve out the set at 5-4. But Clijsters got the break, then did it again to clinch the straight-set victory.

“I’m just glad to finish that second set off and not let it go three sets,” she said.

Clijsters said she had some trouble adjusting her strokes when she was playing with or against the wind. What wasn’t troubling her much was the left hip that bothered her at a tuneup tournament earlier this month.

A year ago, Clijsters was a wild card entry in only her third tournament back after about 30 monthsaway from the sport. Now she’s one of the favorites to win the Open.