Chinese top seed Li Na joined promoted compatriot Peng Shuai to make last eight after breezing second round win at the China Open on Thursday.

In an earlier match on the previous day, Peng Shuai repeated history after making quarterfinals by stunning defending champion Maria Kirilenko from Russia. She was among the quarterfinalists in last edition too.

However, other three Chinese main draw players, namely Zheng Jie, Sun Tiantian and Yan Zi, were all dumped out of the annual event.

Chinese number two Zheng has to stop her Open pace following a straight-sets loss to American Lindsay Davenport while French female world number one Amelie Mauresmo had no problems with Sun, blitzing in one hour or so at 6-3, 6-2 on Thursday. Yan was out as early as the first round.

Zheng Jie, ranked 33rd in the world, proved to be in a lower league than former number one Davenport, losing the match at 6-2, 7-6 (4) in one hour, 23 minutes.

Trailing 6-5 in the second set, Doubles specialist Zheng broke in the 12th game in the nick of time to make it 6-6. But experienced Davenport still sealed the final win with an ace and a couple of forehand winners.

"I played an impatient game. I tried to make her move but the effect was converted as Davenport played aggressively," said 23-year-old Zheng, who with Yan Zi just suffered a stunning doubles first round exit following a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 rout on Wednesday.

"My ankle injury has been aggravated after the doubles yesterday, but the chance (to face a top player) is of high value and precious, so I held on to fight. I had thought about retiring, but the fans kept me going."

Zheng just held one of her four serves in the first set before a 6-2 quick loss in just 32 minutes.

Sun too could not find any way out while playing the French iron woman.

"I played normal tennis, and scored some key points, but my opponent managed more crucial points than me, and I think this is the major distance between her and me." said Sun, who dumped higher ranked Vera Zvonareva in the first round.

"We Chinese players are tactically and technically less competitive than the top players, we need to improve through training."

Sun, who crowned as doubles winner with partner Li Ting at Athens Games in 2004, won one set while facing Mauresmo in their first career meeting at Australian Open first round this season.

Despite a slow start, Chinese top one Li still eased past Russian Elena Vesnina on a breezy evening with clear skies.

With one break down, Li never really threatened 54th-ranked Vesnina's serve in the opening set, losing 6-3 to give scares and worries to the packed home fans in the Center Court of the Beijing Tennis Center.

But Li, the one who made breakthrough continually by making last eight at Wimbledon this season and breaking top 20 once, resumed her ominous shape and confidence too, dominating from the service line to every corner of the court in the final two sets and trouncing the opponent with double 6-1.

"The opponent played good backhand, I am too eager to seek the win. I just adapted myself and reduced my unforced errors in the second set," said 24-year-old Li, who will next face another Russian second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2006)