Dinara Safina looks set to lose her world number one ranking after a shock defeat by wild card Shuai Zhang in the second round of the China Open yesterday, PA Sport reported.
Dinara Safina looks set to lose her world number one ranking after a shock defeat by wild card Shuai Zhang in the second round of the China Open yesterday, PA Sport reported.
The Russian has held the top spot since April despite failing to win a grand slam title, provoking fierce criticism of the rankings system.
Serena Williams, who has won two of the four major titles this season while remaining behind Safina, has made her feelings known but she is now set to overtake her rival if she wins her second-round match against Ekaterina Makarova today.
Top seed Safina had her chances against Shuai, ranked a lowly 226 in the world, particularly in the second set, where she was a break ahead and squandered a set point before going down 7-5 7-6 (7/5).
"I'm having some bad losses. So many matches that are very close, ones I should win, having set points or match points every time," Safina said in a statement released on the WTA website, after cancelling a press conference.
"It's very disappointing. I'd like to take a break now. I'm very upset with myself."
Third seed Venus Williams was beaten by Russian teenager Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for the second successive tournament as she crashed out in the second round.
After losing in the first round to the 18-year-old in Tokyo last week, Williams continued her disappointing recent form with a 3-6 6-1 6-4 defeat at the Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Center today.
Sixth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova had no such problems as she cruised into the third round with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Anabel Medina Garrigues while Aleksandra Wozniak and Alona Bondarenko also made progress.
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