Carson, CA -- (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia was among the winners in Thursday's third-round action at the $600,000 East West Bank Classic women's tennis event.

Jankovic defeated Melinda Czink of Hungary, 6-3, 6-2.

In the best match of the evening, fourth-seeded Russian Dinara Safina needed three tough sets to defeat her fellow countrywoman and qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva, 7-6 (7-1), 0-6, 7-6 (7-3).

Two upsets occurred during Thursday's contests: No. 14 Sybille Bammer of Austria advanced over third-seeded Anna Chakvetadze of Russia, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 and later, No. 9 Russian Nadia Petrova outlasted fifth-seeded and fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva, 6-4, 7-5.

In other action, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus (8) defeated Australian Samantha Stosur, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 10th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta def. Japan's Ai Sugiyama, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, China's Meng Yuan def. Melanie South of Great Britain, 6-2, 6-3. Also, 23-year-old American Bethanie Mattek, a wild card, downed Olga Govortsova of Belarus, 7-5, 6-2.

2008 Wimbledon runner-up Serena Williams pulled out of the event on Tuesday due to a left knee injury.