Serena Williams, who on Monday stated that she was the real No.1 and not Dinara Safina, suffered a 6-2 2-6 6-1 defeat by Patty Schnyder in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

The world No.20 Schnyder was upset by Sabine Lisicki in the first round of Stuttgart last week, but this week in Rome she managed to keep her record on clay against Serena Williams perfect and improved it to 3-0.

The match between "the best in the world", as Williams called herself on Monday, and Patty Schynder was postponed until 11pm because of rain.

The world number two Williams has now lost her last three matches (Miami final, Marbella first round, and this latest one in Rome) – only the second time this has happened in her career. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Unseeded world No.44 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria has ended Patty Schnyder’s hopes of a second title at the Moorilla Hobart International, defeating the Swiss second seed 6-2 6-4 in the first round.

"To beat the number 14 is a big win, I've only had three or four top 20 wins so this is a big win for me," Pironkova said.

Eighth seed Tamarine Tanasugarn also lost in the first round, being defeated by Czech Iveta Benesova 7-5 7-5. Surviving a scare was seventh seed Alona Bondarenko, who overcame Romania's Monica Niculescu 6-4 2-6 6-2. (source: Reuters, photo: Tennis Channel)

Seventh seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia was upset in the first round of the Tennis.com Zurich Open by Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu 3-6 6-3 6-2. Sixth seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland lost to qualifier Petra Kvitova 6-4 3-6 6-4.

The world No.66 Niculescu won 10 of the final 13 games with her left thigh heavily strapped.

Chakvetadze was the second seeded player to lose at the Tennis.com Zurich Open as eighth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia fell to Maria Kirilenko of Russia on Monday.

Later on Tuesday, Schnyder was upset by the world No.57 Kvitova of the Czech Republic, in three sets like Chakvetadze.

Other today’s results: Italy’s Francesca Schiavone beat Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 7-6(3) 6-2, and Marion Bartoli of France defeated Hungarian Agnes Szavay 6-4 6-0. (via IHT)

Second seed Patty Schnyder ended a three-year title drought by beating Austrian Tamira Paszek 6-3 6-0 to win the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic.

The 29-year-old Schnyder earned her 11th Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title with her 500th career victory. The Swiss veteran had lost seven straight WTA finals since lifting her last trophy in Cincinnati three years ago.

The winner gave the 17-year-old Paszek full credit and tipped her as a future star. "She pushed me all the way," said Schnyder. "I had to do my best and move well."

The 94th-ranked Paszek, who reached the Bali final by upsetting top seed Daniela Hantuchova in the semis, as well as third and seventh seeds Flavia Fennetta and Sara Errani in earlier rounds, failed to win her second career title following success in Portoroz in 2006. (source: Bangkok Post, photo via Bali Classic)

Tamira Paszek upset top seed Daniela Hantuchova in the semifinals of the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic and second seed Patty Schnyder is awaiting the young Austrian in the title match.

Schnyder downed number four seed Nadia Petrova 7-5 6-1 to reach the Bali final, while Paszek beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 5-7 6-4 to advance to her second career final. The Slovakian faced more late disappointment in Bali as she was defeated by American Lindsay Davenport in the final of the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic last year.

Schnyder and Paszek are tied at 1-1 in career meetings. The first time they played Paszek won in three sets, it was at the 2007 US Open. Schnyder won their second clash in straight sets; it was this year in Doha.

Schnyder will be playing for her 11th career title, Paszek for her second.

The 2008 Bali champion will collect $35,000. (source: The Sports Network, photos: Getty Images)