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The Russian 24-year-old reached her first quarterfinal since treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a form of cancer, when defeating sixth seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 in the joint ATP and WTA Kremlin Cup.
"I was very excited to be back here in Moscow because it's been a long time that I've been waiting to play this tournament," Kleybanova said after missing out in 2011 and 2012.
The winner of two WTA titles added: "I'm really happy with how I dealt with all the stress - I actually felt really good out there and that's one of the reasons I was able to hold myself together in such a tough match and actually play some good tennis."
Kleybanova said that she was very touched after discovering how many people wrote her letters of support when she was fighting cancer.
"After the doctors pronounced their diagnosis two years ago and it became clear that there would be no more tennis in the near future I tried to keep myself as far as possible from the world where I lived before," she said.
"I was really emotionally hard and I'm the kind of person who doesn't need any condolences. I relied only on the support of those closest to me.
"But after my recovery when I found out how many people really care about me and my faith I was really touched. And I'd like to thank all of them for their sympathy and support."
Kleybanova, 254th in the WTA rankings, added: "A couple of matches right after my return were the most difficult.
"But after the US Open first round match, which I won, I wasn't thinking about the break I had to survive."
"Now I'm planning to start the next season in Australia," she disclosed.
"I didn't finalise the details of my next season's calendar yet. Probably I will also play somewhere elso to prepare for the Australian series of the tournaments.
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