Maria Kirilenko continued her recent surge in form as she advanced to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday.

Kirilenko defeated Monica Niculescu, 63 60. "One year I played against Niculescu here on center court and I won, 63 60, the same," Kirilenko commented. "Today there were some very close games I lost at the start, but I was doing everything right and coming to the net. She was better in those games but I continued to play the same way, then it was better.

"I liked my forehand a lot today. I was playing it well from each position on the court, I think. I was enjoying that shot today and having a lot of fun out there."

"I'm quite happy because normally I don't start the season really well. Two years ago I did quarterfinals at the Australian Open, then I didn't do anything until after French Open. So now I feel I'm playing more consistently, and I'm winning all the matches I should, which is a good thing."

Italy's Flavia Pennetta scored a 63 63 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues. "The wind made it hard to control the ball, and it was not easy because she's one of my best friends," Pennetta told the media . "It's not easy to play against your friend on the court. But tennis is like this - you have to get on the court and try to play your best tennis all the time. It wasn't easy but I'm happy I won."

"Last week I was No.21 and because I lost second round in Doha I went to No.28. But every week you have a chance to improve and go back up. It's not easy every week to defend all the points you made the year before. But if you start thinking too much about winning and losing points and your ranking, for me personally it's better to just not think about it because I'll get really nervous.

"I'm just trying to improve my tennis. I just try to focus on playing well, because if I do, I can win so many matches - if I play badly, I don't win any."

"I don't like to put big goals because when you put them too high and don't get them, it's frustrating. I prefer to take it step by step and just play each match. Of course the Olympic Games are really important, though, and I would also like to get back to the Top 20 and to finish the year in that position, No.15, No.13, something like that."

Israel's Shahar Peer beat Oman's Fatma Al Nabhani, 63 61 while Julia Goerges beat three-time finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova, 26 76(2) 64. "It wasn't the best beginning for me, but one of hers probably. She overwhelmed me with her shots," Goerges told reporters. "I just tried to get back into it, playing more balls in the court and fighting for every ball. I got my chance and took it."

Jelena Jankovic, a Dubai resident, also won getting past Petra Cetkovska, 62 62.