Gold Coast, December 31:

Italy’s Tathiana Garbin upset second-seeded Nadia Petrova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in a first-round match at the Australian women’s hardcourt tennis championships.

Garbin advanced to the semi-finals here last year against Martina Hingis but had to retire in the first set of that match due to breathing difficulties resulting from a viral illness. Russia’s Dinara Safina, the No 3 seed, beat Jarmila Gajdosova of Australia 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 and two-time Grand Slam winner Amelie Mauresmo of France easily defeated Olga Savchuk of the Ukraine 6-1, 6-1.

Meghann Shaughnessy ended 2007 on an unlucky note, leading 6-0, 1-0 against Italy’s Francesca Schiavone when a knee injury forced the American to retire. Two-time Gold Coast champion Swiss Patty Schnyder had a 6-1, 6-3 win over Russian Alisa Kleybanova. Yuliana Fedak of the Ukraine upset eighth-seeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

It was Garbin’s first

victory over Petrova in five attempts since their first meeting in 2001. Petrova came back from 5-0 down to 5-3 in the third set before hitting a forehand into the net on match point.

Men’s Hardcourt

ADELAIDE: Australian wild card Joe Sirianni took advantage of a heel injury to Radek Stepanek on Monday to advance to the second round of the Australian men’s hardcourt tennis championships.

Sirianni was awarded the match when the fifth-seeded Stepanek retired while trailing 7-6 (3), 4-3 and down a break in the second set, citing a right heel problem that flared up in the first set.

American Michael Russell beat No 7 seed Juan Martin Del Potro in the other upset of the day at Memorial Drive.

Despite hot conditions Stepanek said it was the foot injury that forced him to retire. The exposed layout of Memorial Drive, featuring dual centre courts for the tournament’s final edition before it is superseded by a new event in Queensland in 2009, afforded little in the way of shade. They had to do with ice towels, plenty of fluids and relaxed time limits at changes of ends.

In other results, American Sam Querrey beat Steve Darcis of Belgium 7-5, 6-4 and Benjamin Becker of Germany defeated Australian Robert Smeets 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt will play his first match on Tuesday night against Dudi Sela of Israel.