World number one Victoria Azarenka pulled out of the Dubai Tennis Championships after aggravating a calf injury - and Germany's Julia Goerges was on hand to take full advantage.
In Azarenka's absence, Goerges took on Australian lucky loser Casey Dellacqua in round two and charged to a 6-0 6-2 victory in just 44 minutes - with her luckless opponent winning just nine points in the first set.
Third seed Caroline Wozniacki shrugged off her disappointing performance in Qatar last week with a straightforward 6-2 6-3 win over Romanian qualifier Simona Halep in 71 minutes.
Fourth seed Sam Stosur was made to battle by in-form Lucie Safarova - who beat Wozniacki last week - before prevailing 6-1 6-7 (7-5) 6-1, while fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska beat Israel's Shahar Peer 7-5 6-4.
Other seeds to avoid defeat in round two were eighth seed Jelena Jankovic, who beat Italy's Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-2, and ninth seed Sabine Lisicki, who scored a 6-3 6-3 win over qualifier Iveta Benesova.
Ana Ivanovic continued her title challenge with a 6-2 7-6 (7-4) win over Russia's Maria Kirilenko, and Daniela Hantuchova beat Shuai Peng - the first-round conqueror of Marion Bartoli - 7-5 6-2.
