BEIJING (AFP) US Open runner-up Vera Zvonareva survived a first-round scare from former world number one Dinara Safina at the China Open on Monday, as mens fifth seed Tomas Berdych was sent home in a shock upset. The 26-year-old Zvonareva the Russian second seed at the joint WTA/ATP event and her countrywoman Safina both struggled throughout the match, spraying their heavy groundstrokes long and notching five double faults apiece. Zvonareva a finalist at both Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows this year jumped out to an early 2-1 lead on a break but then faltered, only taking the first set thanks to Safinas own sloppy play. Both players were just as uneven in the second set, which stretched into a tiebreak eventually won by Zvonareva, disappointing the mainly pro-Safina crowd. Dinara is a great player. Shes been ranked number one in the world, so she will be a great player forever. Its always difficult to play against her, Zvonareva told reporters after winning 6-4, 7-6. But... I think today maybe we both didnt play our best tennis. Other winners were Israeli 15th seed Shahar Peer and Italys Sara Errani, who will play top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the next round. Wozniacki needs just two wins here to assure herself of the WTAs top ranking. But Polands Agnieszka Radwanska and Frances Marion Bartoli joined Australias Samantha Stosur and last years winner Svetlana Kuznetsova in the graveyard of seeds ousted in the first round. Radwanska lost in three sets to unheralded German Angelique Kerber, while Bartoli was steamrollered 6-2, 6-3 by Serbias Ana Ivanovic, another former world number one. Six of the 16 seeds are now out of the womens draw. On the first day of play in the mens main draw, Berdych ranked seventh in the world and a Wimbledon finalist this year fell to left-handed German qualifier Michael Berrer in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. The 25-year-old Berdych, who lost to Spains David Ferrer in the quarterfinals at Kuala Lumpur last week, looked sluggish throughout the match and Berrer took advantage, pounding 25 winners past the Czech. Berdych mounted a last-ditch comeback in the deciding set but, serving at 4-5 to stay alive, he failed to hold, slamming his racket down to the court in frustration after sending the ball into the net on match point. In other first-round action, Americans John Isner who won the longest match in tennis history at Wimbledon earlier this year and Mardy Fish advanced in straight sets. Both the WTA and ATP are hoping to use the 6.6-million-dollar China Open to make inroads in the vast Asian country, which they see as a strategic marketplace.