Third-seeded Dinara dropped a tight match to Alexandra Dulgheru in 2 hours and 40 minutes in the second round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome on Tuesday.

Dinara, the defending champ, rallied from a 4-0 first set deficit to knot the set at 4 before eventually coming up short. Then in the second set, she was twice two points from losing the match before rallying. However, Dulgheru was too strong in the third set and prevailed, 64 67(5) 61, to advance to the round of 16.

“Obviously this was very disappointing,” Dinara said. ”The third set was particularly difficult. After winning the second set, I was 5-0 down in a second. I don’t know if I was over-hitting or over-waiting. I don’t think I was moving my feet enough. I’m going to watch this match on video. I think the only good thing about this match was that my back didn’t create any problems.”

Dinara’s next event, her third one since returning to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour after a three-month layoff because of her back injury, will be next week at the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open, where she is also the defending champ.