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Kleybanova Begins Title Quest; Mattek-Sands, Zheng Beaten

Estoril, Portugal

Kleybanova© JLSAlisa Kleybanova reached the Sydney semi-finals (l. to Clijsters) in January.

Top seed Alisa Kleybanova earned a confidence-boosting first-round win at the Estoril Open on Monday.

The Muscovite defeated Olga Govortsova for the first time since May 2008 at Berlin. Kleybanova won 74 per cent of her service points in a 6-2, 6-2 win over 67 minutes.

The World No. 25 also hit three aces and converted all four break point opportunities. She now has a 3-2 career lead over No. 116-ranked Govortsova, who won just 12 points on return of serve.

Kleybanova improves to an 11-9 match record on the season, highlighted by a run to the Sydney semi-finals. She will next face France's Mathilde Johansson, who was a 6-4, 6-3 victor over Ksenia Pervak of Russia.

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There were two seeded casualty on day one.

Romanian Monica Niculescu grinded out a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 win over fifth seed Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States in three hours and six minutes.

Despite hitting five double faults and winning 49 per cent of service points, 23-year-old Niculescu converted 10 of 21 break point opportunities.

World No. 40 Mattek-Sands won 43 per cent of service points to drop to a 10-10 match record on the season.

Seventh seed Jie Zheng, the 2006 titlist, also suffered a first-round exit losing to World No. 92 Romina Oprandi 6-4, 6-2 in 75 minutes. It was the Italian's first win this season (1-7). Zheng won just 22 points on her own serve.

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