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Safina ousted by unseeded Chang in Japan
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-28 14:47

TOKYO: Top-ranked and defending champion Dinara Safina was knocked out in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Monday by Taiwan's qualifier Chang Kai-chen.

Safina ousted by unseeded Chang in Japan
Taiwan's Chang Kai-Chen returns the ball to Dinara Safina of Russia during their first round match at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo September 28, 2009. [Agencies] Safina ousted by unseeded Chang in Japan

Safina was serving for the match in the third set when she double-faulted to give up a break. Chang, ranked 132nd in the world, rallied for a 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5 win to advance to the third round of the $2 million tournament.

Chang held and then converted on her third match point on Safina's forehand error.

Safina's status as the world's top-ranked player has been under scrutiny and a third-round loss to 72nd-ranked Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic at the US Open did little to ease that.

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Chang, who defeated Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday's opening round, put Safina on the defensive from the outset, breaking the No. 1 seed twice to go up 3-0 in the first set.

Safina, who had a first-round bye, rallied to take a 6-5 lead but Chang forced and then won the tiebreaker.

Chang will meet Argentina's Gisela Dulko in the third round. Dulko downed Agnes Szavay of Hungary 6-3, 6-0 on Sunday.