New York, Aug 31 - World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki raced into the second round of the US Open Tuesday, dismantling 125th-ranked Spaniard Nuria Llagostera 6-3, 6-1, Xinhua reported.

No. 4 Victoria Azarenka wasted little time in establishing herself as one of the contenders for the US Open title, quickly dispatching Johanna Larsson of Sweden 6-1, 6-3.

Hamburg  - Dinara Safina returned to the top and Caroline Wozniacki rose to a career-high fourth place in the WTA women's tennis rankings issued on Monday.

Russia's Safina has 7,731 points and ends Serena Williams' two-week reign at the top of the standings. The American Williams has 7,576 points and Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova is third on 5,772 points.

Wozniacki climbed two places to fourth with 5,485 points amid ongoing controversy about an injury-related withdrawal last week in Luxembourg which has led to a WTA probe.