China's Peng Shuai slams into US Open quarterfinals

Peng Shuai of China celebrates a point during her match against Roberta Vinci of Italy at the 2014 US Open tennis tournament in New York, Aug 29, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Peng Shuai's road to the US Open quarterfinal: 3rd round: Bt 28th-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy  6-4, 6-3 2nd round: Bt fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-3 6-4 1st round: Bt Chinese compatriot Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-3

Chinese veteran Peng Shuai beat 14th-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova in straight sets in the US Open on Sunday to reach her first-ever Grand Slam singles quarterfinals.

The 28-year-old ranked 39th in the world clinched a stunning 6-3 6-4 win with nine aces to clinch the victory, achieving her personal best performance at Flushing Meadows.

Peng had been 0-5 in fourth-round matches at major tournaments. She becomes the third Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal after Li Na and Jie Zheng.

Safarova was coming off a semifinal run at Wimbledon.

Peng faced only one break point and had just seven unforced errors.

Peng Shuai, the only Chinese player left in women's singles, helped Chinese fans forget the injury forced absence of world No 3 Li Na when she stunned Polish No 4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the second round last week.

Peng then 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 and her doubles partner, Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei, are currently ranked third in women's doubles and in pursuit of their first US Open doubles title.

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

Related stories on Peng's doubles title:

2014 French Open: Peng and Hsieh win French Open women's doubles

2013 WTA final: Hsieh, Peng still perfect in Finals

2013 Cincinnati: Peng Shuai, Hsieh Su-wei win Cincinnati women's doubles title

2013 Wimbledon: Peng, Hsieh win Wimbledon doubles, creating history