It's not an injury, confirms retiring Chinese star Peng

Chinese star Peng Shuai confirmed it's not an injury problem after she retired from her semifinal match against Denmark's former world number one Caroline Wozniacki at the US Open on Friday.

"The weather was very hot, my body was hot too, and I started to get cramps, it's really hurting, I could't even move on the court. So the doctor said to me, 'You are not able really to go out to fight and compete, because you don't look well.' But I said, 'No, no, no, I don't want to give up. I want to try one more time,'" Peng explained at the press conference which was postponed for three hours.

"And then I come back. I know I'm not going to stay too long, but I just wanted to try to challenge her one more time," she added.

"The doctors did an overall checkup on me, and they will give me further therapy, but I don't think it's an injury scare, it's just that my body needs more time for rest."

While trailing Wozniacki at 7-6(1), 4-3, Peng left the court to seek treatment -- at the time believed to be for cramping -- and play was held up for 10 minutes.

Then the 28-year-old Chinese star returned and played a few points before collapsing to the ground. Peng was finally taken from the court in a wheelchair in agony and in tears.

The official reason for Peng's retirement was confirmed later as heat illness.

Peng said: "Before I played the quarterfinal, I know that my body was pushed to limits, and I also saw a doctor before that match, but I managed to play my game to make it through."

"As for the match against Caroline, I also played to my usual level, it's just because my opponent was really tough today," Peng added.

Peng's coach Alan Ma also believed that it's exhaustion that should be blamed on.

"Peng played too many matches in the first half season. She had to play singles and doubles here as well. Although she won the previous matches in straight sets, but they were also high-quality and tough ones, it's not as easy as the scoreboards showed. I think Peng was playing beyond her limits both at physical and mental levels," said Ma.

"But it's not an injury, we will compete the Asian tour as planned, including the China Open in Beijing," Ma added.