Zhang Shuai of China and her partner Kristina Mladenovic of France defeated seventh-seeded pair Sofia Kenin of the U.S. and Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine 6-1, 6-2 in the women's doubles first round at the Dubai Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday.

Zhang and Mladenovic began the first set with a 4-0 lead and then sealed the deal quickly in another three games. Though they were broken once by Kenin and Kichenok in the second set, they soon bounced back and claimed the set 6-2.

Zhang and her partner will face an American duo in McCartney Kessler and Clara Tauson in the second round.