Zakopalova upsets Serena in Marbella

Posted April 07, 2009 11:00 pm

Associated Press

MARBELLA, Spain -- Top-ranked Serena Williams was upset by 95th-ranked Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 Wednesday in first round of the Andalucia Tennis Experience.

Zakopalova converted seven break points in defeating the 2009 Australian Open champion.

Williams won less than half of her service points to lose her second straight match. She also lost to No. 11 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the Sony Ericsson final on Saturday.

Zakopalova will next face fellow Czech Renata Voracova.

Third-seeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia also won her opening-round match, 6-4, 6-2 over Silvia Soler Espinosa of Spain.

In the second round, fourth-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues beat Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2, 6-3 in an all-Spanish matchup, while seventh-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania defeated Andreja Klepac of Slovenia 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Also, Roberta Vinci of Italy beat Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3.

On Thursday, fourth-ranked Jelena Jankovic will play lucky loser Selima Sfar of Tunisia for a place in the semifinals.