China's Peng Shuai prepares for Shenzhen Open

Having dropped to 40th in the women's world rankings during an injury-troubled year, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai is hopeful of greater success in 2013, beginning with the Shenzhen Open.

26 year-old China's Peng Shuai is set to participate in a new WTA event - the Shenzhen Open. She has been seeded 6th.

Peng, a former world number 17 has dropped to 40th during an injury-troubled year. She represented China at the 2012 London Olympics but lost in the second round to Petra Kvitova. In the doubles Peng paired up with veteran Zheng Jie, but Russians Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova had the edge in their quarter-final. Last year her singles' challenge ended at the second-round stage. Offering Peng an important test on the road to Melbourne in 2013, the first Shenzhen Open is due to end on next Saturday.

Peng Shuai said, "I hope that I can avoid getting injured in the next year. To be healthy and clear of injury is the most important thing for me. I hope I can play the whole season next year. I definitely have confidence, I think like every player has. I also have a good expectation ahead of big events, not the Australian Open but for all the competitions in the whole new season. Anyway, I need to play hard every game and strive for the win."

In the opening round, top seed and former French Open champion Li Na will face Mandy Minella of Luxemburg. Fourth seed Hsieh Su-Wei meets Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski. Sixth seed Chinese Peng Shuai takes on 7th seed Brit Laura Robeson. Former World Number 1 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia faces Czech Klara Zakopalova, and Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli meets wildcard Chan Wing-Yau of Hong Kong.