• WTA Tour

Dementieva dumped out in Warsaw

Elena Dementieva has lost four of her last six matches © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Sharapova books final spot with back-to-back wins
  
• News: Na Li continues return to form in Warsaw
  
• News: Defending champions Serbia slip to second defeat
  
• News: Baltacha progresses in Strasbourg
  
• News: Erratic Sharapova seals first clay win of 2010
  
• Profile: Elena Baltacha | Elena Dementieva | Maria Sharapova

Elena Dementieva's preparation for the French Open took a setback when she was dumped out of the Warsaw Open by Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova. The world No. 5, seeded No.2 in Poland, was broken six times as she slumped to a 7-5 4-6 6-4 defeat after a three-hour struggle on court.

After a sparkling start to the 2010 season, when the Russian claimed titles in Sydney and Paris, the has won just two of her last six matches and has failed to reach the quarter-finals in her last four tournaments.

Pironkova will now meet defending champion Alexandra Dulgheru in the quarter-finals after the Romanian eased to a 6-2 6-4 victory over Timea Bacsinszky.

Top seed Caroline Wozniacki nearly suffered a similar fate to Dementieva, but the Dane rallied from a set down to beat Polona Hercog 2-6 6-3 6-4. Wozniacki, who like Dementieva has struggled for form of late, was broken twice as she slumped to a first-set defeat, but held her nerve and capitalised on Hercog's shaky serve to book her place in the last eight.

Third seed Na Li cruised into the last eight with a 6-0 6-3 victory over wildcard Katarzyna Piter, while sixth seed Alona Bondarenko and Sara Errani also progressed.

Meanwhile at the Strasbourg International, top seed Maria Sharapova revival gathered momentum as she eased into the last four with a 6-3 6-0 victory over world No. 267 Dia Evtimova.

British No. 1 Elena Baltacha was forced to retire from her second-round clash against Anastasia Rodionova. Baltacha was leading 2-1 when she was struck by an injury to her back and will now be in a race to be fit in time for next week's French Open where she has qualified for the main draw for the first time.

Sixth seed Sybille Bammer was sent tumbling out by Germany's Julia Goerges. The world No. 81 took Bammer's serve to pieces as the Austrian served ten double faults as she slumped to a 6-1 7-6(6) defeat.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.