Tennis-Kuznetsova ends local hopes to reach China final

BEIJING, Sep 23 (Reuters) Russian second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova thrashed a weary Peng Shuai 6-0 6-2 today to reach the final of the China Open and end local hopes of a first homegrown champion.

Kuznetsova will play world number one Amelie Mauresmo or in-form Serbian Jelena Jankovic in tomorrow's final after dispensing with her 20-year-old opponent in just 51 minutes on a roasting Centre Court at the Beijing Tennis Centre.

Peng said a combination of a recent operation on her leg and a two and a half hour quarter-final against Japan's Ai Sugiyama yesterday had left with her unable to cope with her fifth-ranked opponent.

Kuznetsova won the toss and pretty much everything else today wrapping up the first set in 21 minutes and brushing off a Peng break at the start of the second.

''I played really smart,'' the 21-year-old Russian told reporters. ''Shuai's a tough player but she was a little tired after yesterday.

''In the first set I just kept hitting the ball back at her and forced her to play a kind of game she doesn't like. In the second set, she was just trying to win each point with one ball which was a bit frustrating, but I just kept at it.'' Peng, who beat the defending champion Maria Kirilenko in the second round, said she was still feeling the leg problem that caused her to have an operation after the U.S. Open.

''I was very tired and afraid that I'd aggravate my injury so I didn't push myself to get every ball,'' said the 60th-ranked Peng. ''There's still something wrong with my leg and I need more time to recover.'' SEVENTH WIN Just being her country's first semi-finalist at the China Open, however, was a boost for a player who said earlier this week that she had considered giving up the game at the start of the year.

''After the China Open I feel more confident,'' she said.

''I felt very much at home and I really want to thank everybody for supporting me here this week.'' Today's win was the seventh in row for Kuznetsova, who won her second title of the year in Bali last week. Her last defeat, however, was to Jankovic in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.

''In the past I had problems with consistency,'' said the 2004 U.S. Open champion, who has reached the quarter-finals or better at 15 of her 18 events this season.

''This year my goal was to work on the consistency. I've practised a lot, I've matured a lot, I never lose focus and I'm in good physical condition.'' REUTERS PM SND1351