MOSCOW, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Defending champion Anna Chakvetadze dropped a straight-set decision Thursday in second-round play at the $1.34 million Kremlin Cup tennis tournament in Moscow.
Chakvetadze, seeded third this week, was dumped 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 by fellow Moscow native Dinara Safina. Safina heads into Friday's quarterfinals against crowd favorite Vera Zvonareva, who toppled Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-2.
Fourth-seeded Serena Williams also posted a straight-set victory Thursday, defeating Tatiana Perebiynis 7-5, 6-4. Williams drew eighth-seeded Nicole Vaidisova for Friday's quarterfinals. Vaidisova advanced from the second round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Elena Vesnina.
The other quarterfinals Friday send top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova against Vera Dushevina and Elena Dementieva versus Victoria Azarenka.
Five of the eight quarterfinalists are Russians. Williams is from the United States, Vaidisova is from the Czech Republic and Azarenka is from Belarus.
