BANGKOK, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Thai American player Tamarine Tanasugarn on Friday won her first career win over a reigning world No.1 by beating Russia's Dinara Safina in the semi-final of the Ordina Open in 's-Hertogenbosch the Netherlands, local media reported on Saturday.

    The 32-year-old who has been top 20 in both singles and doubles, staged the biggest victory in her career after she knocked out Safina with 7-5 7-5, the Nation news website said.

    Wearing her lucky orange cap, the same color she wore in this tournament which she ended up the champion last year, Tamarine displayed excellent grass court skills to beat Safina again in a rematch of the 2008 final. Back then Safina, just No. 9 in the world, lost 5-7 3-6.

    Tamarine was born in Los Angeles and turned professional in 1994. Her highest WTA ranking has been world number 19, a ranking she achieved on 13 May 2002, which is the highest ranking ever achieved for Thai female player.

    She has won two singles titles. She was briefly a doubles partner with Maria Sharapova, with whom she won two titles in 2003.She won a total of five doubles titles. Her highest doubles ranking was world number 15 which she achieved on 13 September 2004. With Liezel Huber, she reached the 2004 US Open doubles quarterfinals. Her biggest success came in 2008 when she became the first Thai tennis player ever to reach a quarterfinal in professional Grand Slam.

    In her career, Tanasugarn has defeated several former number one players, including Amelie Mauresmo, Jennifer Capriati and Jelena Jankovic. She has also beaten an Australian Open and French Open champion, Mary Pierce.

    Tanasugarn is also widely regarded as grass court specialist, having made the fourth round in Wimbledon for six times and eventually succeeded the quarterfinal in 2008. She had three grass court major finals in Ordina Open in 2008, 2009, and Birmingham in2000. Besides all these results, the five out of her seven top ten victories also come from grass.