Peng Shuai reaches first Grand Slam singles quarters

Chinese veteran Peng Shuai makes a major breakthrough in her tennis career by beating 14th-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova in straight sets to reach her first ever Grand Slam singles quarterfinals.

The 28-year-old clinched a shock 6-3 6-4 win with nine aces to clinch the victory, achieving her personal best records at the Flushing Meadows.

Peng Shuai, the only Chinese player left in women's singles, allowed Chinese fans to forget the injury-enforced absence of world No 3 Li Na when she stunned Polish fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska at the US Open second round last week.

She kept China's hope alive by beating 28th seeded Italian Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-3 to reach the US Open final 16 in the third round.

Peng Shuai, who paired with Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei and currently ranked third in women's doubles, are also in pursuit of their first US Open doubles title after the pair had already in the last 16 race.

The doubles pair, known as "the Cross-Strait Combination", had won two Slam doubles titles at the Wimbledon last year and French Open this year.