Davenport, Vaidisova Up Wednesday at WTA Beijing
Posted on September 20, 2006BEIJING, China -- Chinese tennis sensations Li Na and Zheng Jie delivered convincing two set victories on Tuesday in front of a home audience at Beijing Tennis Centre. No.7 seed Li eliminated qualifier Vera Dushevina, 63 64, and Zheng followed up with a 64 63 win over Jill Craybas. The third Chinese singles player in action on Tuesday, wild card Yan Zi, was eliminated by qualifier Jelena Kostanic, 75 62.
Li, the No.1 in China and No.23 in the world, will meet another Russian, Elena Vesnina, in the second round of this $600,000 hardcourt event. Li has never advanced past the second round here. But this could change this year because the 24-year-old has posted solid results all year long. Not only did she become the first Chinese to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal (Wimbledon), she also advanced to the fourth round of the US Open two weeks ago.
Her compatriot, Zheng, the Chinese No.2, faces either Anna Chakvetadze or No.5 seed Lindsay Davenport in the second round. Zheng won two Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles this year (Estoril, Stockholm) and is hoping to reach the third round here for the first time in three attempts.
Defending champion Maria Kirilenko advanced in straight sets to improve her Beijing record to 6-0. The 19-year-old Russian dispatched Gisela Dulko, 76(6) 63, to set up a second round meeting with Peng Shuai. Kirilenko won her first Tour singles title here last year, defeating Maria Sharapova in the semifinals and Anna-Lena Groenefeld in the final.
Eleni Daniilidou also reached the second round. The Greek defeated Sofia Arvidsson, 64 61.
On Wednesday, Chakvetadze plays Davenport and Ai Sugiyama meets No.4 seed Nicole Vaidisova in the night session. No.2 seed Kuznetsova faces Kostanic in the last match of the day.
-- WTA
Li, the No.1 in China and No.23 in the world, will meet another Russian, Elena Vesnina, in the second round of this $600,000 hardcourt event. Li has never advanced past the second round here. But this could change this year because the 24-year-old has posted solid results all year long. Not only did she become the first Chinese to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal (Wimbledon), she also advanced to the fourth round of the US Open two weeks ago.
Her compatriot, Zheng, the Chinese No.2, faces either Anna Chakvetadze or No.5 seed Lindsay Davenport in the second round. Zheng won two Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles this year (Estoril, Stockholm) and is hoping to reach the third round here for the first time in three attempts.
Defending champion Maria Kirilenko advanced in straight sets to improve her Beijing record to 6-0. The 19-year-old Russian dispatched Gisela Dulko, 76(6) 63, to set up a second round meeting with Peng Shuai. Kirilenko won her first Tour singles title here last year, defeating Maria Sharapova in the semifinals and Anna-Lena Groenefeld in the final.
Eleni Daniilidou also reached the second round. The Greek defeated Sofia Arvidsson, 64 61.
On Wednesday, Chakvetadze plays Davenport and Ai Sugiyama meets No.4 seed Nicole Vaidisova in the night session. No.2 seed Kuznetsova faces Kostanic in the last match of the day.
-- WTA