Peng Shuai of China celebrates after defeating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during the 2014 US Open women's singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center August 27, 2014 in New York. Peng won 6-3, 6-4. [Shanghai Daily]

Agnieszka Radwanska's US Open woes continued Wednesday as China's Peng Shuai toppled the fourth-seeded Pole 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round.

Radwanska, a former Wimbledon finalist who counts this year's Australian Open among two other Grand Slam semi-final appearances, had hoped to make it past the fourth round at Flushing Meadows in her ninth attempt.

But the 39th-ranked Peng put paid to that, breaking Radwanska three times en route to the victory sealed with a backhand winner on her third match point -- her 28th winner of the contest.

"She's tough to play," said Peng, who beat Radwanska at the same stage of the US Open in 2010. "I kept running, I fought. It was amazing.

"I will try to keep going," said Peng, whose best prior US Open showing was a round of 16 appearance in 2011.

Although Peng has failed to lift a trophy in six WTA finals appearances, she has tasted victory in doubles.

In February she became the first Chinese player to reach number one in the world when she went top of the doubles charts thanks to her success with partner Hsieh Su-Wei from China's Taiwan.

In other early action, French 22nd seed Alize Cornet dismissed Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 6-3 to reach the third round -- matching her best US Open run.

Hantuchova had won six of their nine prior encounters, including at the 2012 Olympic tournament.

But Cornet controlled this one, breaking Hantuchova four times en route to the victory in an hour and 22 minutes.

The biggest names of the men's field -- Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray also had Wednesday off.

Australian Open winner Stan Wawrinka, the third seed from Switzerland, headlined the night session, taking on Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci in one of two men's second-round matches on the slate.

Wawrinka's triumph in Melbourne broke a streak of 16 straight Grand Slam titles won by tennis' Big Four of Rafael Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Murray.

That major breakthrough was followed by a first-round exit at the French Open and a first quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon.

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