By Adrianna Outlaw
© Tony Chang/Chang Photograph

(October 3, 2010) Svetlana Kuznetsova was bed-ridden with the flu after the US Open. Kuznetsova recovered from her illness, but could not revive her ailing game today. Italian qualifier Roberta Vinci dumped defending China Open champion Kuznetsova from the $4.5 million Beijing draw with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory.

The 10th-seeded Kuznetsova got downa  break in the third set and could not close the gap.

"It took me some time to get used to her game, the court, the wind. I started playing well in the second set," Kuznetsova said. "I didn't take my chances in the third set. It was equal in the third, 1-all, 2-all, 3-all... then I lost the break."

A year ago, Kuznetsova defeated Agnieszka Radwanska in the Beijing final but suffered her second straight early-round exit, following her second-round loss in Tokyo last week.

"After US Open I practiced hard for a week in Moscow. I was supposed to leave on Tuesday for Tokyo so I'd have five days to practice and everything," Kuznetsova said. "I got sick. From Sunday to Saturday, one week, I wasn't home, I didn't go out, I didn't do any fitness, I was in bed. I didn't have time, but that's how it is."

The two-time Grand Slam champion followed fourth-seeded Samantha Stosur in falling out of the field. Latvian qualifier Anastasija Sevastova stopped Stosur, 2-6, 7-6(5), 7-5.

Maria Sharapova squeezed out a 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over unseeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova, who beat Venus Williams in the Wimbledon quarterfinals in July.

"The first rounds are always difficult. You just try to find your way and your rhythm," said Sharapova. "At the end of the day, I found a way to win and that was the most important thing today."