MONTERREY, Mexico -- 2016 finalist Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium kicked off her 2019 Abierto GNP Seguros campaign brilliantly on Monday, moving past 18-year-old Serb Olga Danilovic, 6-2, 6-1, in the opening round.

In the first meeting between the two players, former World No.13 Flipkens, currently ranked 58th, needed just 58 minutes to zip past the 120th-ranked teenager, who won her first WTA singles title at the Moscow River Cup last year as a lucky loser.

Flipkens had seven aces, won 80 percent of points on her first serve, and never faced a break point in the clash. Poorly-timed miscues by Danilovic caused the youngster to squander any chances to dig her way into the Belgian's service games.

33-year-old Flipkens, a former Wimbledon semifinalist and winner of the Quebec City title in 2012, will take on either Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic or Harriet Dart of Great Britain in the second round in Monterrey.

The experienced guile of Flipkens and the go-for-broke aggression of Danilovic were evenly matched through 2-2, but the Belgian kicked her well-honed game into gear from that point forward in the opening set.

Flipkens drew first blood by pulling Danilovic into the net to set up a gorgeous forehand pass on break point at 3-2. The Belgian consolidated her break, holding for 5-2 with a game-ending ace and putting the pressure firmly on Danilovic to try to pull herself back into the set.

Serving to keep the opening frame going, Danilovic was unable to quell her unforced errors, and the Serb quickly found herself down double set point. There, Flipkens bashed a forehand winner, taking the one-set lead.

Danilovic did well to fend off four break points in her first service game of the second set, but that would be the last game she would win, as the experience of Flipkens took complete control of the tilt from there.

Flipkens again claimed an early break, using an error-forcing forehand to grab a 3-1 advantage, and then barreled through a quick service game, acing the Serb on game point to hold for 4-1. Great court sense by the Belgian allowed her to come out on top in a rally on break point in the subsequent game, finishing with a winning volley for a commanding 5-1 lead.

Serving for the match, booming deliveries from the Belgian propelled her to double match point, and she only needed one to close out Danilovic, as a deep forehand set up a finishing overhead for the victory.

More to follow...