Beijing - China's unfancied number 226 Zhang Shuai threw open the race for WTA number one as the outsider stunned error-prone top seed Dinara Safina 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) in a day of second-round shocks at the China Open. The result means that it's all to play for as Serena Williams now makes her bid to take back the top spot Safina has held for the past 25 weeks dating to April.
With the Russian out with 13 doubles faults and 14 break points, the American can advance if she keeps winning matches at the Olympic centre.
While Serena moved into position, elder sister Venus was licking her wounds after being crushed for the second week in a row by the same teenage Russian spoiler.
Upset lightning struck again after eight days for seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams,was humbled in Asia by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
The 39th-ranked 18-year-old had put out Williams a week ago in the Tokyo first round - that time in straight sets.
"I had nothing to lose," said the 20-year-old winner, who claimed her first career main-draw victory in the first round in the capital.
"I just tried to move her around as much as I could, just hit as hard as I could in the court and just enjoy the match.
""She started way aggressive today. She wanted to kill me, I guess."
Said a shell-shocked Williams, 36-13 in 2009 with two minor titles: "She played really well. Unfortunately sometimes I just made an error too soon. But 14 double-faults didn't help me today."
Pavlyuchenkova's victory was her third over a Top three opponent.
Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova restored some order to seeds as she advanced into the third round over Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-1.
Novak Djokovic won his debut match at the event as the men's tournament second seed had to work to go past Victor Hanescu 6-3, 7- 5.
The world number four Serb, seeded behind Rafael Nadal in China, rained down 10 aces in his winning performance which lasted a shade under 90 minutes.
But victory didn't come easily. "It was a little bit frustrating the way I was losing some points in the second set," he said after also letting loose of his grip and serving his racket as well as the ball at one point in the second set.
"It's not the first time it has happened, but I hope it is the last. It's not certainly comfortable in that this has happened at such a big event. Unfortunately, I sweat a lot in the hand."
Djokovic was playing for the first time since losing in the US Open semi-finals to Roger Federer in straight sets. He took a rest the next week, skipping Serbia'a Davis Cup relegation match.
The Serb, with 13 singles titles, next faces the winner from Viktor Troicki, the Bangkok finalist, and Italian Fabio Fognini.
Philipp Kohlschreiber got in an opening-day win at the new combined event.
The 22nd-ranked German, who lost the Metz final a week ago against Gael Monfils, defeatedIvo Karlovic, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-1, overcoming 27 aces from the biggest serving threat in the game. Spain's Tommy Robredo beat German Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-1.
