The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Peng Shuai dethrones Maria Kirilenko

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Thursday, Sep 21, 2006
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Peng Shuai dethrones Maria Kirilenko

BEIJING: China's Peng Shuai outlasted defending champion Maria Kirilenko of Russia 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the China Open here on Wednesday. The eighth-seeded Kirilenko was beaten for the first time in seven contests at the Beijing Tennis Centre.

Fifth-seeded Lindsay Davenport closed out the first round by claiming a 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-5 win over Russia's Anna Chakvetadze.

Peng, one of four Chinese to reach the second round of the $600,000 tournament, was edged out in the first set but broke the 19-year-old Russian early in the second and never looked back.

``She was the defending champion and ranks higher than me, but I was playing at home and the crowd was cheering for me,'' Peng said. ``When I lost the first set, everybody was encouraging me so I never gave up until the last point.''

The World No. 60 booked a spot in the last eight when Kirilenko double-faulted to end their two-hour 33-minute contest. ``I think I'm going to get better and better, and see how far I can go,'' the 20-year-old Peng said.

France's Marion Bartoli reached the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues.

Sucha stuns Srebotnik

At Portoroz (Slovenia), Martina Sucha shocked the top-seeded Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the Slovenia Open.

The unseeded Slovakian broke Srebotnik's serve in the final game of the second set to level the match, and went on to win the final set. ``I'm not disappointed — she simply was better,'' Srebotnik said.

The eighth-seeded Tathiana Garbin of Italy ousted defending champion Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5, while another Czech, Zuzana Ondraskova, moved into the second round after Ekaterina Bychkova of Russia retired at 7-6(6), 6-6.

The fourth seed Martina Muller of Germany overcame Karin Knapp of Italy 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-6(6), the fifth-seeded Italian Romina Oprandi beat Julia Schruff of Germany 6-3, 7-5 and the ninth-seeded Jarmila Gajdosova of Slovakia defeated Eva Birnerova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-1.

Important results:

At Beijing (WTA China Open): Second round: Peng Shuai bt Maria Kirilenko 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. First round: Lindsay Davenport bt Anna Chakvetadze 7-6(4), 3-6, 7-5.

At Portoroz (WTA Slovenia Open): First round: Martina Sucha bt Katarina Srebotnik 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Martina Muller bt Karin Knapp 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-6(6); Renata Voracova bt Kristina Barrois 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Emmanuelle Gagliardi bt Katerina Bohmova 7-5, 6-3; Andreja Klepac bt Tadeja Majeric 6-4, 7-5; Tamira Paszek bt Karolina Kosinska 4-6, 6-2, 6-1; Zuzana Ondraskova bt Ekaterina Bychkova 7-6(6), 6-6, retd.; Romina Oprandi bt Julia Schruff 6-3, 7-5; Tathiana Garbin bt Klara Zakopalova 6-3, 7-5; Jarmila Gajdosova bt Eva Birnerova 6-3, 6-1; Emilie Loit bt Masa Zec Peskiric 6-1, 4-6, 6-4; Maria Elena Camerin bt Ivana Lisjak 6-1, 7-6(0). — Agencies

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