Kuznetsova Fights Off Fatigue, Local Opponent at WTA Beijing

Svetlana Kuznetsova has won back-to-back titles at the US Open and Bali, and the strain is starting to show during her fourth consecutive week of play.

At the WTA stop in Beijing Thursday, the No. 2-seeded Kuznetsova failed to close out three match points in the second set, then fought off two match points against her in the third before closing out the match 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(3) against the No. 193-ranked local qualifier Na Li.

"I had to play well in the end," Kuznetsova said. "I just didn't know what to do."

It was the first WTA-level appearance for Li in three years, with Li saying before the match she just hoped not to be embarrassed.

Other winners into the China Open quarterfinals on Thursday were Russians (4) Vera Zvonareva (d. (Q) Gagliardi), (5) Nadia Petrova (d. (Q) Mamic), and Serb (7) Jelena Jankovic (d. (Q) Douchevina).

The Friday quarterfinals line up as Jankovic vs. Sharapova, Dulko vs. Kuznetsova, Serena vs. Petrova, and Vera "Warren" Zvonareva vs. Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues.