Russia's Mikhail Youzhny and Britain's Andy Murray became the latest seeds to fall in the Kremlin Cup second round on Thursday.

Second seed Youzhny lost to German Michael Berrer 7-5, 6-4, while the third-seeded Scot succumbed to Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 7-5. Russia’s Igor Andreev beat his fifth-seeded compatriot Marat Safin 6-4, 6-4. Russian top seed Nikolay Davydenko scored over Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti 6-4, 6-4.

In the women's draw, third seed Anna Chakvetadze was beaten by compatriot Dinara Safina 7-6, 6-2.

In the first match on centre court, former World number one Serena Williams saw off Ukrainian qualifier Tatiana Perebiynis 7-5, 6-4 and enter the quarterfinals.

In Friday's quarterfinals, Serena will face eighth-seeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova, who eased past Russian wildcard Elena Vesnina 6-3, 6-4. 

Sania out of doubles
Sania Mirza and Swiss Patty Schnyder were on Thursday ousted from the Kremlin Cup after their doubles quarterfinal defeat at the hands of top seed Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of USA 3-6, 7-5, 7-10, adds PTI.

Meanwhile, Finnish sixth seed Jarkko Nieminen breezed into the Stockholm Open quarterfinals on Thursday, beating Australian Peter Luczak 6-0, 6-4 to set up a possible match with James Blake, adds Reuters from Stockholm.

Blake takes on Canadian Frank Dancevic later for a place in the last eight. Earlier, Croatia's Mario Ancic easily disposed off Sweden's Bjorn Rehnquist 6-1, 6-3 to enter the quarterfinals.

Second seed Venus Williams eased into the quarters of the Bangkok Open with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn on Thursday, adds Reuters from Bangkok.