Serena moves into China Open quarterfinals

BEIJING, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Serena Williams of the United States rallied in the final set Wednesday to beat Dinara Safina and reach the quarterfinals of the China Open.

Williams won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. She trailed the Russian player 3-1 in the third set before winning the last five games.

The match was Williams' first since she lost to Jennifer Capriati in the U.S. Open quarterfinals.

Also advancing was 17-year-old Russian Maria Sharapova, who beat countrywoman Tatiana Panova 6-1, 6-1.

Sharapova, who won the Wimbledon singles title this year, is seeded third in the Beijing event. Another Russian, Svetlana Kuznetsova, is seeded second.

Russian Nadia Petrova and Serbian Jelena Jankovic won first-round matches.