Kuznetsova slump continues in Rome

ROME, May 3 (UPI) -- Fifth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova was beaten Monday in a second-round match at the $2 million Italian Open in Rome.

Kuznetsova fell 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to Maria Kirilenko in the only second-round match Monday of the clay-court tournament. Kuznetsova blasted 10 aces but also had nine double faults and was kept on the defensive much of the match; Kirilenko forced Kuznetsova into 21 break-point situations, winning seven.

Kuznetsova, No. 5 in the world, has lost three of her last four matches.

No. 16-seeded Shahar Peer was among four players who won first-round matches as she took out Corinna Dentoni 6-2, 6-1 in 67 minutes.

No. 11-seeded Yanina Wickmayer held on for a 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 victory over Karolina Sprem; 12th-seeded Flavia Pennetta stopped Akgul Amanmuradova 6-2, 6-3; and No. 13-seeded Francesca Schiavone came from behind in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Daniela Hantuchova.

Among the winners in Monday's other 11 matches were Ana Ivanovic, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Patty Schnyder and Dominika Cibulkova.