Organisers of the Australian Open [ Images ] promote their event as the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific but after just four days the Asian challenge is all but over.

Of the 23 Asian players who entered the tournament only one, Japan's [ Images ] Aiko Nakamura, has survived past the second round.

Nakamura won her opening match against French wildcard Alize Cornet [ Images ] then upset Argentine 31st seed Gisela Dulko [ Images ] 6-1, 6-1 on Thursday to advance to a third round meeting with Patty Schnyder [ Images ].

She had been one of 17 Asian women in the tournament. Nine were knocked out in the first round, including the region's top-ranked female Ai Sugiyama [ Images ].

Seven fell at the second round including Indian teenager Sania Mirza [ Images ], who had been seeded 32nd, leaving Nakamura to fly the flag alone.

Mirza made the third round at Melbourne [ Images ] Park last year having been given a special wildcard reserved for Asian players but tripped up in the second round this time when she lost 6-3 7-5 to Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands, half-sister of former men's Wimbledon [ Images ] champion Richard Krajicek.

The seven Asian men who started the tournament fared no better. The only one to make it through to the second round was Taiwan's Wang Yeo-tzuoo who beat Mariano Zabaleta before losing to Jarkko Nieminen.