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Zheng Jie knocked out of China Open

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-04 16:51

BEIJING - China's tennis star Zheng Jie failed to live up to home fans' expectations as she lost to Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first round of the China Open on Sunday.

China's Zheng Jie returns a shot to Svetlana Kuznetsova from Russia during China Open women's singles first round competition in Beijing, Sunday, October 04, 2009. The world No. 6 Russian beat the Chinese hopefull 7-6 (3) 7-5. [Xinhua]

Kuznetsova, the tournament's sixth seed and reigning French Open champion, fell behind early in both sets, but outlasted Zheng, 7-6 (3), 7-5, on center court at the Olympic tennis center.

The 26-year-old Zheng had never beaten Kuznetsova, who won the China Open in 2006, in four previous meetings.

Top seed Dinara Safina of Russia was to face Italy's Roberta Vinci, and second seed Serena Williams was set to battle Estonia's Kaia Kanepi.

In other first round matches on Sunday, Russian seventh seed Vera Zvonareva beat Romania's Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-2, and Switzerland's Patty Schnyder brushed aside Poland's Urszula Radwanska 6-4, 7-5.

The men's main draw gets under way on Monday, with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick leading the charge.