Safina survives in Cincy

The top-ranked Russian dropped the first set 2-6, scratched out a 7-5 win in the second and then put Vinci away 6-4 in the deciding set on the hard courts at the
Lindner Family Tennis Center. Safina hurt herself with 10 double faults.

Last year's champion, Russian Nadia Petrova, seeded 10th, was eliminated by
Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko 6-2, 6-3 in opening-round play. In another first-round upset, China's Peng Shuai beat 15th-seeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1.

Other first-round winners were Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, Romanian Sorana Cirstea, Hungarian Agnes Szavay, Russians Maria Kirilenko and Alisa Kleybanova, and Belgian Yanina Wickmayer.

The tournament winner will bank $350,000.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.