China's Li Na, the 24th seed at the US Open, rallied to win her first round match against Spain's Maria Sanchez Lorenzo on Wednesday.

When the rain-interrupted match resumed, the 24 year-old Chinese had a 4-3 first set lead from the previous day but looked out of sorts as she lost three straight sets and surrendered the first set 4-6.

But it was back to business when Li Na started the second set, breaking Lorenzo's service twice and winning 6-3. She followed up with a perfect third set performance, sealing her victory with a 6-0 set.

Li will face Eleni Daniilidou of Greece in the next round.

Li's compatriot Peng Shuai didn't shine as brightly. She bowed out lost to former tournament champion Martina Hingis 2-1 (6-4, 1-6, 3-6) in the first round.

Although Peng started on the right foot and took the first set, Hingis, who won the title in 1997, took control of the match in the second set, playing a more aggressive serve-and-volley game that tired Peng out.

When Peng showed signs of physical difficulties in the third set, her trainer was called on court. Peng tried to pull herself together for the remainder of the match, but Hingis proved too much to handle and breezed into the second round.

Another two Chinese players, Sun Tiantian and Yan Zi, were ousted by Russia's 32nd seed Elena Likhovtseva, and Poland's teenage sensation, Agnieszka Radwanska, respectively.

The US Open Day Two schedule was shifted to Day Three in its entirety. The matches originally scheduled for Day Three will be played a day later.

(CRI August 31, 2006)