TOKYO (AP) — Maria Kirilenko eliminated U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur from the Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday, beating the Australian 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the second round.
The sixth-seeded Stosur, playing for the first time since winning her first career Grand Slam title in New York, trailed in the second set but rallied to break her Russian opponent and take the final two games to even the match.
The two traded breaks in the third set but Kirilenko broke again to make it 5-4 before serving out the match.
Kirilenko lost to Stosur in the fourth round at the U.S. Open.
Third-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus also advanced, beating Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania 6-1, 6-3. Azarenka, who has won two WTA Tour titles this season, saved nine break points and won 72 percent of her first serves.
