Newz Forum: OTHER: Shinobu Asagoe beats No 1 seed in the DFS Classic

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) - Japan's Shinobu Asagoe recorded the biggest of several upsets Wednesday in the second round of the DFS Classic, a $170,000 grasscourt event.

Asagoe, who reached the fourth round at the French Open, ousted top-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

Asagoe's countrywoman, Akiko Morigami, also knocked off a seeded foe. Morigami was leading Eleni Daniilidou of Greece, 2-6, 6-2, 2-0, when the seventh seed retired due to a right Achilles strain.

American qualifier Shenay Perry, who reached the quarterfinals at Auckland in January, defeated Serbian fifth seed Jelena Dokic, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) and Italian qualifier Roberta Vinci bounced sixth-seeded Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy, 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5).

Fouth-seeded Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva and No. 9 Emilie Loit of France both needed three sets to avoid upsets. Maleeva got by German Anca Barna, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and Loit defeated Zimbabwe's Cara Black, 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3.

No. 16 Maria Sanchez Lorenzo of Spain also advanced with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 triumph over British wild card Anne Keothavong.

Japan's Saori Obata, Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn and Jelena Jankovic of Serbia each had straight-sets wins in matches involving unseeded players. Australian qualifier Samantha Stosur and Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin also advanced.