(January 5, 2011) Peng Shuai of China is off to a great start at the ASB Classic  in Auckland, New Zealand. In a shock to fans, two-time Grand Slam -winner Svetlana Kuznetsova was eliminated 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday.

Despite the victory, No.73 Peng got off to a rough start, dropping her first set in 30 minutes and having to play from behind to win the second set. Capitalizing on this moment, Kuznetsova served an ace to start her first service game. But quickly her errors intensified and she dropped serve at 3-1 allowing Peng to level the set at 5-5.

In the match, that lasted a little over 2 hours, Peng admitted to be a bit intimidated.
"I was really nervous," Peng said. "When the match started, in the first set, I was just not in the match. I just tried to fight every point...At first I just thought 'don't lose too fast."

Meanwhile, falling victim to the windy Auckland conditions former No.1 Maria Sharapova struggled described her own game today as "a bit sloppy." Though she was able to beat her  Czech opponent, Renata Voracova, 6-3, 7-5, it didn't come with ease.

Dropping serve early, Sharapova managed to come back from being down 3-1. During the match the Grand Slam winner managed to get service breaks in the fifth, seventh and ninth games to take the first set in 38 minutes. In the second set, Voracova was able to hold the lead 5-3, however, she wasn't quite prepared when Sharapova began fighting back evening the score 5-5.

"I played a really tough opponent today" Sharapova said "She was very different from my first opponent, very flat and deep and it was difficult to find my rhythm."

Rounding out Wednesday's competition were defending champion Yanina Wickmayer who went to three sets against Germany's Sabine Lisicki with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. 

Julia Goerges, one of the last remaining top 5 seeds, beat Alize Cornet of France in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.

No. 7 seed Elena Vesnina of Russia was forced to retire in the third set, complaining of dizziness, of her match against Romania's Simona Halep. At the time, Halep was leading 2-6, 6-4, 4-0. Also knocked out the tournment was No. 9 seed Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain who lost to British qualifier Heather Watson 7-6 (5), 6-1. While Greta Arn of Hungary pushed out No. 8 seed Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.