MADRID, May 13 (UPI) -- Dinara Safina, who recently earned the top spot in the world rankings, reached the third round of the Madrid Open Wednesday with a straight-set win over Li Na.
Safina, coming off her championship in Rome last week, produced a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) victory that set up a third-round match-up with Lucie Safarova.
Third-seeded Elena Dementieva, meanwhile, became a surprise loser in the second round when she fell to Amelie Mauresmo 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. Mauresmo was once the No. 1 female player in the world, but is unseeded for this tournament.
Alona Bondarenko also pulled off a surprise by defeating sixth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2 and Patty Schnyder advanced by outsting No. 8 seed Nadia Petrova 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-5).
Kuznetsova lost in the Rome final to Safina.
Qualifier Vera Dushevina moved on with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 decision over Francesca Schiavone and Victoria Azarenka was a 6-4, 6-1 winner over Peng Shuai.
