Maria Sharapova Out of China Open

1 month ago 08th Oct 12:45

Peng Shuai delighted the home crowd last night as she beat Maria Sharapova to reach the quarter finals of the China Open.

Sharapova is still on the comeback trail after a shoulder operation, which has kept her out of action for the best part of twelve months, but captured her first title in Tokyo last week.

But Shuai produced some of her best ever tennis to dispatch Sharapova in an impressive display that showed it will only be a matter of time before he breaks back into the top fifty.

The Russian just appeared to run out of answers as she was broken twice in the opening set to give the Chines woman a lead, much to the delight of the crowd.

Despite some flashes of brilliance from the former world number one that further highlighted her return she was unable to sustain it over the whole set.

She may have fought back in her second round match but there was no fight back last night as Shuai, with the full support of the crowd, sealed the match 6-2 6-4.

Speaking after her match Sharapova told Sky Sports: "Exactly a year ago, I was going under the knife to get an operation on my shoulder, not doing well and wondering if I would ever be back playing tennis and hitting a tennis ball across the net," Sharapova said.

"So, to be sitting here talking after losing a tennis match, you have to be pretty grateful about what you do and realise that you could be in a much worse situation."

It was a second successive big named scalp for Shuai after dispatching Jelena Jankovic in the previous round and she will now face either Serena Williams of Nadia Petrova.

Svetlana Kuznetsova continued to put her Pan pacific disappointment behind her as she progressed into the next round with a win over Alona Bondarenko in three sets 6-3 4-6 6-0.

She will now face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who had an easier win over Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4 6-4.

Elena Dementieva was also in action last night as she took on another Chinese player Li Na. But unfortunately for the crowd it was a routine win for Demetieva as she swept past Li 6-2 6-0.