Top seed and French Open champion Anastasia Myskina wilted early on at the Wismilak International, falling in the second round to Maria Elena Camerin 6-3 ,1-6, 6-2 on Thursday.
World number two Myskina followed up her second-round exit at the U.S. Open with a below-par performance against the Italian ranked 59 places below her.
However U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova went some way to restoring Russian pride with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Australian Samantha Stosur to reach the quarter-finals.
"It was tough after coming from the U.S. Open," she said. "The flight was very difficult and I didn't have time to get used to this climate."
Second seed Kuznetsova was never really stretched by Stosur, although the qualifier, ranked 86 in the world, broke first to lead 2-1.
MORE AGGRESSION
A winning return put 19-year-old Kuznetsova back on level terms at 3-3, and she then forced an error to break for the set.
Stosur again broke first in the second set, going 1-0 up when Kuznetsova double-faulted.
The Russian broke back for 2-2 and then failed to convert a break point at 4-3 but closed out on her fourth match point when Stosur double-faulted for the sixth time.
Kuznetsova will play Angelique Widjaja in the quarter-finals after the Indonesian wildcard beat Anca Barna of Germany 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
"I know my level is better than today," Kuznetsova said. "So I just have to play my game and try to feel the ball as much as I can."
Myskina held serve just once in the opening set of her match, and hit seven double-faults.
She played with more aggression and accuracy in the second set but the recovery did not last long.
Myskina double-faulted to drop her serve to love in the opening game of the final set.
Camerin, who has never won a WTA title, broke again to go 3-0 up and although Myskina briefly rallied she netted a weak forehand to concede her serve again, and the Italian served out for victory.
