If Tauson had lost the match, she would have dropped out of the top 20, as she has several points to defend in Dubai. Last year, Tauson reached the final in Dubai.
Kenin put up a good fight in the first set until the score was 5-5. Tauson was subsequently broken and fell behind 5-6, but Kenin was unable to serve out the first set.
Tauson broke back and forced a tiebreak. Helped by two aces, the Dane won the tiebreak 7-4.
Tauson made 13 service aces in the first set, and her good serve also helped her in the second set, although the aces appeared less frequently.
Tauson, on the other hand, played much more convincingly in the second set. She settled into her stylish stride quite early and chased Kenin around the court.
It turned into a break of serve in the first game for Tauson, who also took a 2-0 lead, with the American looking increasingly discouraged and frustrated.
Later, Tauson also broke to 5-2 and subsequently served the match home. Quite symptomatic of the match, Tauson finished off with her 20th ace.
"It was a nice round number. I was really happy with the serves, because the rest of my game was not working so well. I felt extra pressure because I reached the final last year", said Tauson, who is seeded as number 12 in the tournament.
In the second round, Tauson will face another American, Peyton Stearns, who is ranked 58th in the world.