Kerber is number 15 in the 135th edition of the legendary tournament, which starts next Monday.
“It’s never easy when you play a match over two days,” said the woman from Kiel after her victory over Gasanova: “I’m very happy with my first grass match and I hope it continues like this.”
Compatriot Sabine Lisicki also reached the round of 16 in Bad Homburg – with her first win on the WTA tour since 2018.
Kerber relieved after passing the endurance test: “I wanted to be there right away”