TENNIS ROUNDUP \ News and notes

China Open

BEIJING — Maria Sharapova was eliminated, losing to Peng Shuai of China 6-2, 6-4. Svetlana Kuznetsova moved into the quarterfinals by defeating Alona Bondarenko 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. Peng broke Sharapova twice in the first set, and again in the sixth game of the second. Sharapova saved two match points at 5-4 before losing to the 53rd-ranked player. The former top-ranked Russian appeared to show the strain of her three-set win over Victoria Azarenka the night before. Kuznetsova will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who defeated Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4, 6-4. Fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva routed Li Na 6-2, 6-0. Nikolay Davydenko advanced in the men’s field, easily beating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-1, 6-0. Davydenko will face Marin Cilic, who defeated Julien Benneteau 6-2, 2-6, 6-0. Second-seeded Novak Djokovic trounced Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-0, while Fernando Verdasco defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 6-4.

Japan Open

TOKYO — Second-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Mischa Zverev 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the second round. Tsonga will face Davis Cup teammate Richard Gasquet, who defeated Philipp Petzschner 6-3, 6-2. Also, Andreas Beck defeated Rainer Schuettler 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (3) . Beck will face defending champion Tomas Berdych in the second round. Qualifier Ernests Gulbis defeated sixth-seeded Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-4. Mikhail Youzhny also advanced, stopping Thomaz Bellucci 6-2, 6-3 to set up a second-round match with third-seeded Gilles Simon.

Davis Cup

BARCELONA, Spain — The Davis Cup final between Spain and the Czech Republic in December will be played in either Valencia or Barcelona. Spain is the defending Davis Cup champion.

Associated Press