Victoria Azarenka battled back from a set and 4-0 down to defeat Italy's Alberta Brianti on Monday and avoid becoming the first top seed in history to be knocked out in the French Open first round.

Victoria Azarenka battled back from a set and 4-0 down to defeat Italy's Alberta Brianti on Monday and avoid becoming the first top seed in history to be knocked out in the French Open first round.

Top-seeded Sara Errani of Italy beat Alberta Brianti 6-4, 6-0 in an all-Italian quarterfinal at the Budapest Grand Prix on Thursday.

No. 5 seed Sabine Lisicki beat Alberta Brianti 6-1, 6-2 in the second round of the Texas Open on Tuesday. Sixth-seeded Shahar Peer was eliminated, losing 6-2, 6-4 to Johanna Larsson of Sweden.

Italian veteran Alberta Brianti defeated seventh-seeded Simona Halep of Romania 6-4, 6-3 in a rain-hit final of the Grand Prix Sar to earn her first WTA title on Sunday.