A pair of Chinese players put on impressive performances in first round action on the second day of the 585,000 dollar J.P. Morgan Chase Open on Tuesday. Peng Shuai, of Hunan, breezed past Venezuela's Maria Vento-Kabchi 7-6 (7/5), 6-0 and Beijing's Sun Tian-tian destroyed lucky loser Maria Fernanda Alves of Brazil 6-0, 6-1 to reach the second round of the hardcourt tournament at the Home Depot Center in south central Los Angeles.
The 19-year-old Peng upset Elena Dementieva and former world No 1 Kim Clijsters before falling to eventual champion Mary Pierce in the semi-finals at last week's WTA San Diego tournament.
Last year, Peng, who turned pro in 2001, reached two WTA quarter-finals in Guangzhou and Cincinnati.
Earlier in the day, Varvara Lepchenko became the first player to advance to the third round after the native of Uzbekistan bounced fellow lucky loser Silvija Talaja of Croatia, 6-4, 6-2.
In other second round matches on Tuesday, top seed Maria Sharapova will face Russian compatriot Maria Kirilenko and No 15 Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic will face American Amy Frazier.
RESULTS (x denotes seed):
(FIRST ROUND): Peng Shuai (CHN) bt Maria Vento-Kabchi (VEN) 7-6 (7/5), 6-0; Karolina Sprem (CRO) bt Yuliana Fedak (UKR) 6-4, 7-6 (11/9); Tathiana Garbin (ITA) bt Bethanie Mattek (USA) 6-4, 6-2; Sun Tian-tian (CHN) bt Maria Fernanda Alves (BRA) 6-0, 6-1; Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) bt Maria Emilia Salerni (ARG) 7-6 (7/2), 7-5.
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