AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Peng Shuai of China rallied to stun two-time Grand Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the ASB Classic tennis tournament Wednesday.
Peng, ranked 71st, dropped the first set in 30 minutes before fighting back tenaciously to win the second and recovering from 0-3 deficit in the third to take the match in 214 hours.
Peng had played third-seeded Kuznetsova, a former U.S. Open and French Open champion, on three previous occasions and lost each time.
Meanwhile, former top-ranked Maria Sharapova struggled on serve in windy conditions before beating Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5.
