(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-03-05 09:56

BANGALORE, India - China's Yan Zi dismissed eighth seed Maria Kirilenko 3-6 7-6 6-1 in a thrilling opening match to reach the second round of the Bangalore Open on Tuesday.

China's Yan Zi returns the ball to Russia's Maria Kirilenko during their match at the WTA Bangalore Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore March 4, 2008. [Agencies]

Yan, who has won two grand slam doubles titles, held her nerve in the second set tiebreak and came into her own in the decider to surprise the 29th-ranked Russian.

Yan, ranked 54 in singles and 13 in doubles, jumped to a 3-0 lead in the decider and kept the pressure on Kirilenko.

"The ball jumps higher on this court, it took me time to adjust," said Yan, who will meet Olga Savchuk of Ukraine next.

"I changed my tactics in the second set and played longer points," said the Chinese, who saved a match point at 5-4 in the second set. "That gave me momentum," she added.

World number 21 Vera Zvonareva quelled an early challenge from Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu.

The Russian seventh seed recovered to win 4-6 6-3 6-1 and will next meet another Romanian qualifier Agnes Szatmari.

The top seeds, including world number four Jelena Jankovic, Venus and Serena Williams and Patty Schnyder, enjoyed a first round bye.

American world number 11 Serena will meet Israeli Tzipora Obziler on Wednesday while Swiss world number 12 Schnyder will take on Japan's Aiko Nakamura.