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Peng leads way into Tashkent quarterfinals

Shuai Peng, shown in a 2007 tournament, advanced to to the quarterfinals of the Tashkent Open with a victory Thursday in Uzbekistan. (UPI Photo/Nell Redmond)
Shuai Peng, shown in a 2007 tournament, advanced to to the quarterfinals of the Tashkent Open with a victory Thursday in Uzbekistan. (UPI Photo/Nell Redmond) | License Photo

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Shuai Peng used a straight-set victory Thursday to earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the $145,000 Tashkent Open tennis tournament in Uzbekistan.

Peng dispatched Arantxa Rus, 6-1, 7-5, in the highlight match of Thursday's second-round play at the hard-court tournament. She will next go against sixth-seeded Monica Niculescu, who advanced when Yaroslava Shvedova, trailing 6-3, 3-4, retired due to illness.

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No. 3-seeded Sorana Cirstea ousted Anna Lapushchenkova, 6-1, 6-4, and Michelle Larcher de Brito beat Tatiana Poutchek, 6-4, 6-1, in other second-round matches Thursday.

Cirstea drew Larcher de Brito for Friday's quarterfinals while fourth-seeded Sabine Lisicki plays Urszula Radwanska and No. 5-seeded Magdalena Rybarikova faces Ioana Raluca Olaru.

The tournament continues through Sunday when the 2008 Tashkent Open titlist will collect $22,925.

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