DUBAI: Lucie Safarova claimed an impressive 6-3, 7-5 victory over former Australian Open semifinalist Sloane Stephens at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday.

It was a match that featured numerous fine rallies, but Stephens lacked aggression and fell victim to Safarova’s greater consistency and more reliable serve.

After the first three games went against serve, Safarova held to lead 3-1 and broke serve again to take the opening set. She also held the upper hand for most of the second set, but still found herself looking at a third as Stephens made a late bid to turn the match around.

Stephens had to fight off two break points at 1-0 and two more which would have left her opponent serving at 5-3, but she then broke Safarova to lead 5-4 and served for the set. But Safarova responded by breaking Stephens to love, and then broke a final time at 6-5 for the match.

Also into the second round is recent Pattaya winner Ekaterina Makarova, who overcame a solid challenge from Alisa Kleybanova to win 6-4, 6-7, 6-4. The reward for the player currently coached by former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina is a second round clash with top seed and world No.1 Serena Williams.

Kleybanova, who reached the Top 20 for the first time after reaching the quarter-finals here in 2011, later had to leave the WTA Tour for a long period after she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“We have enjoyed some excellent tennis right from the start of this year’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of tournament owners and organizers Dubai Duty Free. “Lucie Safarova is playing here for the sixth time, and her greater experience clearly played a part in her well-earned win over one of the rising stars of the game, Sloane Stephens.”

There was a huge surprise in the final round of the qualifying matches when Australian Open semi-finalist and world No. 19 Eugenie Bouchard was beaten 6-1, 6-4 by Annika Beck.

Others to advance to the main draw were 2013 US Open semifinalist Flavia Pennetta, who overwhelmed Yvonne Meusburger 6-1, 6-3, Karolina Pliskova, who beat Camila Giorgi 7-5, 6-2, and Maryna Zanevska recovered from losing the first five games to defeat Mona Barthel 7-6, 6-4.