Kleybanova topped Kai-Chen Chang 6-2, 6-3 behind six service breaks. Kleybanova won nearly two-thirds of the points in Chang's service games. She had to overcome serve issues of her own, dropping serve three times and making four double faults.
Ekaterina Makarova took the only three-set match of the first day of the tournament, slipping past Iveta Benesova 6-2, 3-6, 7-5. She lost her serve twice in the decisive set but answered with three breaks against Benesova.
Also Monday, Ksenia Pervak defeated Yung-Jan Chan 6-4, 7-5 by racking up seven service breaks and Elena Baltacha ousted wild-card entrant Kim So-jung 6-3, 6-4 when she was able to finish off five of six break-point opportunities.
Tuesday's Korean Open schedule calls for the other 12 first-round matches. The highlight match sends top-seeded Nadia Petrova against Jarmila Groth, who collected her first WTA title Sunday in China.
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