Tennis: China's Li lands second round spot as Peng crashes

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

ANTWERP, Belgium (AFP) — China's Li Na continued her storming 2008 comeback after a six-month injury absence, crushing Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the WTA Diamond Games on Monday.

But Belgian Yanina Wickmayer ambushed Peng Shuai, eliminating the Chinese player 6-0, 6-4 and won into a match with third seed Daniela Hantuchova.

Ninth seed Li, who got her seeding when Agnieszka Radwanska withdrew after winning the Pattaya title in Thailand, will await an opponent from Israeli Tzipora Oblizer, oldest woman in the field at age 34, and Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.

The 25-year-old Li, ranked 33, showed more of the dominating form that took her to a title last month on Australia's Gold Coast.

Despite losing at the Australian Open to...