Peng stuns Li, Murray departs early
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Top seed Caroline Wozniacki barely raised a sweat as she pummelled American wildcard Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on Saturday.
The Danish world No. 1, who lost to Serb Jelena Jankovic in last year's final, broke Stephens twice in the first set and three times in the second to wrap up victory in just over an hour.
China's seventh-seeded Li Na, however, was eliminated 6-4, 3-6, 3-6 by compatriot Peng Shuai and 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia was ousted 6-7 (4), 6-7 (7) by 18-year-old American wildcard Christina McHale.
It was the third successive tournament where Australian Open runner-up Li has lost her opening match but the first time she had been beaten by Peng in four meetings.
Earlier, twice former champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia tumbled out after being beaten 6-7 (5), 4-6 by Russian former world No. 1 Dinara Safina.
Safina, who has slipped to 108th in the rankings after being troubled by a back injury last year, will next face fourth-seeded Australian Samantha Stosur who swept past Spaniard Laura Pous-Tio 6-2, 6-2.
Forehand volley
Wozniacki ended her match against Stephens with a crisp forehand volley into an open court and will next meet 28th-seeded Spaniard Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who beat Romania's Simona Halep 7-5, 6-0. "I feel good," the 20-year-old Dane said. "It's always nice to have a win, and the first match is difficult. But I pulled through, so it's nice."
In the men's draw there were upsets galore as fifth seed Andy Murray, sixth-seeded David Ferrer and defending champion Ivan Ljubicic all fell by the wayside.
British world No. 5 Murray was ousted 6-7 (4), 3-6 by qualifier Donald Young, Spaniard Ferrer crashed out 6-7 (3), 3-6 at the hands of Croat Ivo Karlovic and Croatia's Ljubicic was beaten 7-5, 4-6, 2-6 by Argentine Juan Martin del Potro.
Spanish world No. 1 and top seed Rafael Nadal, however, had little trouble with his opening match as he demolished South African qualifier Rik de Voest 6-0, 6-2 after just an hour on center court.
Murray, who was playing for the first time in a month, has lost his past seven sets. The slump began with 4-6, 2-6, 3-6 loss to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final and continued with a 4-6, 1-6 loss to Marcos Baghdatis in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in early February.
Against Young, an American qualifier ranked 143rd, Murray wasted early service breaks in both sets and lost his serve four times.
"I started the match well and then when it got close to the end of the first set I just didn't do anything particularly well," the Scot said. "I didn't do anything to lift myself."
Baghdatis, the 19th seed from Cyprus, lost to Somdev Devvarman of India 5-7, 0-6.
