DUBAI Czech Adriana Gersi recovered from a disastrous first set to defeat Italy's Rita Grande 0-6 6-4 7-5 at the $585,000 Dubai Open on Monday but Australia's Rachel McQuillan was beaten 6-2 6-4 by Tina Pisnik of Slovenia.

McQuillan, a semifinalist last year, lost the first five games but then steadied and saved seven set points before Pisnik took the opening set. In the second set, the Australian built a 4-1 lead, only to collapse and win only four more points in the match, reported Reuters.

Gersi claimed just six points in the first set against Grande, but took the last three games of the second set and then edged through a tightly-contested deciding set, struggling to close out the match after leading 5-3.