Kuznetsova pushed but not out at Australia

MELBOURNE, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova and three other Top 10 players collected straight-set wins Thursday in second-round play at the Australian Open.

But the final score didn't suggest Kuznetsova's problems in playing Tsvetana Pironkova. Kuznetsova faced a set point in the first set but that seemed to bring her game around. She rallied to force a tie-breaker -- winning that without losing a point -- and lost two games in a 29-minute second set in closing out Pironkova 7-6 (7-0), 6-2.

Eighth-seeded Venus Williams had a similar experience, facing a set point in the first set before winning the last three games of the first set and the last four of a match in a 7-5, 6-4 win over Camille Pin.

No. 6-seeded Anna Chakvetadze and ninth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova were less pressed in their second-round matches. Chakvetadze defeated Alisa Kleybanova 6-3, 6-4 and Hantuchova took out Alize Cornet 6-2, 7-5.

The only upset victim Thursday on the women's side of the Australia Open was 21st-seeded Alona Bondarenko, who dropped 6-6 (7-4), 6-1 match to Carolina Wozniacki.

No. 27th-seeded Maria Kirilenko beat Akiko Morigami in an impressive 6-1, 6-1 on Thursday and earned a match against Chakvetadze while14th-seeded Nadia Petrova downed Anne Kremer, 7-5, 7-5; 28th-seeded Katarina Srebotnik ousted Anastasia Rodionova, 6-4, 6-1; and No. 31-seeded Sania Mirza topped Timea Bacsinszky 6-1, 6-4, 7-5 and is to go against Williams in the third round.