Peng feels the pressure after ousting Radwanska
Print Edition
PENG Shuai admits she feels the huge burden of Chinese expectation in the absence of superstar Li Na after stunning Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska at the US Open on Wednesday. The 28-year-old, ranked at 39, clinched a shock 6-3, 6-4 win for a fourth career victory over a top five player but first at a grand slam.
The win swung the spotlight on the Tianjin native after world No. 3 compatriot Li, the Australian Open champion and 2011 French Open winner, was forced to skip the tournament with a knee injury.
“I prefer to have Li Na here. They (Chinese fans) didn’t watch me ... now there is more pressure. It’s not easy to handle that. I just want to focus and enjoy my tennis,” said Peng who added that at least having five other Chinese in the main draw helped ease the burden.
“When they say Li’s not going to play Montreal, Cincinnati, and also the US Open, it was big news. But this year is one of the best with six Chinese girls in the main draw.”
Of those six, three remain with Peng in the last 32 while qualifiers Wang Qiang and Zheng Saisai have made the second round.
“I have learned a lot from Li. She is one of the best players in the world. Now I will try to keep going. There is still a lot of work to do but I want to keep enjoying my tennis.”
Peng will face Italian 12th seed Roberta Vinci for a place in the last 16.
French Open champion Maria Sharapova fought back from a set down in a gritty 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over 95th-ranked Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru. Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka turned back the challenge of Brazilian left-hander Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1) to become the first men’s seed into the third round.
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