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Peng, Peer reach quarters in Morocco

MARRAKESH, Morocco (AP) — Peng Shuai of China beat Ukrainian qualifier Maryna Zanevska 6-4, 7-6 (5) on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Grand Prix SAR.

Zanevska made five double-faults and dropped serve at 5-4 in the first set. The sixth-seeded Peng rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the final set and led 5-1 in the tiebreaker.

Shahar Peer of Israel also advanced to the quarterfinals by outlasting Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (3) in a match that lasted more than three hours.

Mayr failed to serve out the match at 5-4 and 6-5 in the last set before Peer took a 4-0 lead in the final tiebreaker.

Peer came back from a 4-2 deficit in the opening set and then jumped to a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker. However, Mayr broke for a 5-4 lead in the second set to even the match.

In her return from injury, Polona Hercog of Slovenia cruised past seventh-seeded Zhang Shuai of China 6-2, 6-2 to move into the second round.

Hercog broke Zhang twice in the first set and three times in the second.

She has been sidelined by a right rib injury since the Australian Open where she retired in the first round because of a right shoulder injury.