World number one Dinara Safina of Russia advanced to the third round of the US Open on Thursday by defeating Germany's 67th-ranked Kristina Barrois 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-3.

Dinara Safina of Russia celebrates a point against Kristina Barrois of Germany during their 2nd round US Open match in Flushing Meadows. Safina won, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3.

In a near-replay of a first-round struggle Safina had against Australian teen Olivia Rogowska, the 23-year-old Russian sprayed 38 unforced errors, double faulted 15 times, screamed at herself often and was her own worst enemy.

A Safina loss would have seen her match the earliest exit of any women's top seed in US Open history, last year's second-round loss by Serbian Ana Ivanovic to French qualifier Julie Coin.

Instead, she battled through to a third-round meeting with the winner of a later match between Italy's 58th-ranked Tathiana Garbin and 72nd-ranked Czech Petra Kvitova.

But another rocky roller-coaster performance by Safina, who has yet to win a Grand Slam title, did little to secure her against critics who say that the world's top player is US second seed Serena Williams, the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion seeking a 12th Slam crown and second US Open title in a row.

Barrois used a drop volley to set up a forehand winner on break-point for a 2-0 lead in the final set but double faulted away a break in the next game and surrendered another that put Safina ahead 4-3.

But Safina promptly fell behind 0-40 in the eighth game, yelling, "How is that possible?" after a double fault put her down triple break point.

Safina responded by rescuing the game and breaking the German for the victory, taking the match when Barrois double faulted.

After an early exchange of breaks to start the match, Safina broke again in the eighth game and served for the first set. But the top seed surrendered a break in just five points, a backhand down the line negating her edge.

Safina was undone by a net cord winner after two smashes were sent back to her in the 11th game, but answered with an ace and held, then forced two break points in the 12th game only to send both into the net and reach a tie-break.

At 5-5 in the tie-breaker, Safina hit a crosscourt backhand wide and then double faulted to surrender the set despite connecting on 70 percent of her first serves.

Talking to herself during changeovers and screaming at herself after blunders, Safina nonetheless rallied to buzz through the second set in 33 minutes, setting up another third-set drama.