Dokic suffers Tokyo torment

Kournikova had an eight-month injury lay-off

Jelena Dokic's season-opening match turned into a disaster after she was beaten by Anne Kremer of Luxembourg at the Pan Pacific Open.

The second seed from Yugoslavia, who received a first-round bye in Tokyo, was beaten 7-5 6-2 in just 70 minutes.

Dokic elected not to play in the Australian Open because she feared a backlash following her decision to renounce her Australian citizenship.

"I haven't played in a long time and you just can't come out and play well on a tough surface like this against players who have been playing a lot," said Dokic.

I think this is one of the best matches since my comeback, if not the best

Anna Kournikova

The 18-year-old enjoyed her best season last year, capturing her first career title at the Italian Open in May and added two more by winning in Tokyo and Moscow.

Anna Kournikova upset seventh seed Elena Dementieva 7-6 7-6 to advance to the quarterfinals.

The 20-year-old, still looking for her first tournament win, beat her compatriot 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5).

Dementieva served for the first set at 6-5 but Kournikova broke straight back to force the tiebreak, which she went on to win.

Kournikova, who returned to action in January after eight months out with a stress fracture in her left foot, also had to battle back in the second set after trailing 0-3.

"I was moving extremely well today. I was everywhere," said Kournikova.

"She hits the ball very hard and this is the first time we've played against each other so I'm very happy.

"I think I played one of the best matches since my comeback, if not the best one."

Seeds fall

Other seeded casualties were Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria and Amanda Coetzer of South Africa.

Sixth seed Maleeva was beaten 6-3 2-6 6-2 by Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn, who will now face top seed Martina Hingis.

Eighth seed Coetzer was beaten by former Wimbledon semi-finalist Alexandra Stevenson, who had to qualify for this event.

Stevenson dropped the opening set but battled back to record a 4-6 6-0 7-6 (7/3) victory.

The American will now play third seed Monica Seles, who breezed past Els Callens of Belgium 6-2 6-3.

Italy's Silvia Farina Elia, who is seeded five, beat compatriot Rita Grande 7-5 6-4 and will face fourth-seeded Sandrine Testud of France in the quarterfinals.

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Pan Pacific Open results (2nd round):

2nd rd: A Kremer (Lux) bt (2) J Dokic (Yug) 7-5 6-2
(3) M Seles (US) bt E Callens (Bel) 6-3 6-3
(5) S Farina Elia (Ita) bt R Grande (Ita) 7-5 6-4
T Tanasugarn (Tha) bt (6) M Maleeva (Bul) 6-3 2-6 6-2
A Stevenson (US) bt (8) A Coetzer (SA) 4-6 6-0 7-6 (7-3)
A Kournikova (Rus) bt E Dementieva (Rus) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5)