The combination photo shows Peng Shuai (above) of China and Jelena Jankovic of Serbia (bottom) reacts during their match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne Jan 20, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

 

China's Peng Shuai shocked former world No 1 Jelena Jankovic to reach the third round on Thursday in the tournament's biggest upset so far.

Peng, ranked 54 to Jankovic's eight, came through a tight first-set tiebreak before registering a famous 7-6 (3), 6-3 win, as she equalled her best Grand Slam performance and joined countrywoman Li Na in the third round.

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The result comes a year after Li and Zheng Jie both reached the Australian Open semifinals in what was China's most successful Grand Slam. Peng now goes into an all-Asian clash with Japan's Ayumi Morita.

Li and Peng are ramping up Chinese hopes of a first Grand Slam victory in a tournament left up for grabs by the absence of injured five-time champion Serena Williams.

Peng, who had won just seven of her 34 matches against top-10 opponents previously, capitalized on seventh seed Jankovic's inconsistency, and afterwards said her self-belief was growing.

"Maybe I believe more in myself now," Peng said. "I was really happy with today's win, I thought I played well.

"At first I was really nervous on center."

Peng also reached the third round here in 2008, and at Wimbledon in 2006 and 2008. She battled appendicitis and injury last year but bounced back to win an Asian Games gold medal and has already reached two semifinals this year.

Agence France-Presse