HALIFAX, Canada (Kyodo) -- Japan's three-time reigning world champion Kaori Sakamoto led after the women's short program Friday at Skate Canada International, the second event of the ISU Grand Prix series.

Sakamoto scored 74.97 points in Halifax in her first series outing of the season and took a sizable lead over American Alysa Liu in second, the 2022 worlds bronze medalist who logged 67.68 on her return to competitive action after two seasons away.

"I was given more points than I was expecting. I shouldn't feel satisfied," Sakamoto said after she under-rotated the second part of her triple flip-triple toeloop combination, one she has been struggling with in training.

The 24-year-old was not happy either with her tango expression as she takes it up for the first time in her career.

"It hasn't clicked yet. I'd give a mark of 55 out of 100," Sakamoto said. "I hope to do it perfectly from training in order to perform it confidently."

Kimmy Repond of Switzerland placed third with 66.94, followed by Japan's Hana Yoshida who had 65.32. Rino Matsuike was 10th with 52.31 among 12 skaters.