LONDON (AFP) - World number one Dinara Safina admits she needs to free herself of her fear of losing if she is to finally clinch an elusive Grand Slam title.

The Russian has reached the last two French Open finals, as well as the Australian Open title match this year, and on all three occasions has frozen.

Her most recent final flop was at Roland Garros just over two weeks ago when, after romping through the tournament, she came up short in a one-sided match with compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova.

"It was disappointing. I stepped on the court and I knew I had a good chance, but this wanting to win a Grand Slam, it took over me," said the 23-year-old.

"Instead of just focusing on the match, on what exactly I have to do, I went on the court just not to lose because I wanted so badly to win. Somehow I have to let it go, just to focus more on my game than on the result of the match.

"I lost last year in the final at the French Open, and I did the same this year. Exactly the same mistakes."

Top seed Safina reached the second round on Tuesday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino and will tackle Paraguay's Rossana de los Rios for a place in the last 32.

But she will do it suffering from a bout of painful tendinitis in her knee.

"It's been bothering me since April, since the clay court season," explained the Russian who has never made it beyond the third round here.

"At some tournaments, I'm playing on (anti-inflammatory) Voltaren, because it's so painful to go on the knee on the serve.

"The French Open was perfect. But it started last week in Holland because of the grass. It's softer, so I have to push more. Today I had to take one more Voltaren because I just could not go down anymore on my knee it was so painful."