Dubai, Feb 15 (IANS): Former champion Simona Halep, No.6 seed Iga Swiatek and No.2 seed Barbora Krejcikova started Halep, their respective campaigns with a first round win at the Dubai Duty-Free WTA tennis tournament here on Monday.

Romania's Halep got off to a clinical start needing 1 hour and 11 minutes to advance past Alison Riske 6-2, 6-4. Swiatek defeated Russia's Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-2 while Krejcikova quelled a second-set fightback by Caroline Garcia of France to win 6-4, 7-6(0).

Halep, who won the title here in 2020 but is unseeded in this year's draw, extended her head-to-head lead over Riske to 4-0. The former World No.1's ranking has sunk to No.23 following an injury-struck 2021 season, but after a strong Australian swing featuring her 23rd career title at Melbourne Summer Set 1, Halep's form is ticking upwards again.

Her next test will either be No.3 seed Paula Badosa or qualifier and Romanian compatriot Elena-Gabriela Ruse, according to a report on wtatennis.com.

No.6 seed Iga Swiatek and No.2 seed Barbora Krejcikova both reprised January wins in the first round here.

Swiatek raced past Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-2 in 65 minutes, conceding two fewer games than in her 6-2, 6-3 defeat of the Russian in the Australian Open third round. Krejcikova edged out wildcard Caroline Garcia 6-4, 7-6(0) after facing a sterner challenge than in her 6-0, 6-2 win over the Frenchwoman in the Sydney quarterfinals, the report said.

Krejcikova, last year's runner-up to Garbiñe Muguruza, came through a match in which both players suffered from inconsistency on serve. The Czech's seven aces were outweighed by eight double faults, and she found just 12 winners to 28 unforced errors.