BEIJING - Former world number two Vera Zvonareva, who has plummeted to 250 in the rankings, took her first steps in a 2015 comeback attempt by ousting home favourite and number three seed Peng Shuai at the Shenzhen Open on Monday.
Russia's Vera Zvonareva during a Wimbledon match in southwest London on June 28, 2014
The 30-year-old was a finalist at both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2010 but has since been dogged by injury and illness.
Peng, China's top women's player following the retirement of Li Na last year, took the first set in their first round match but the Russian ground out the last two to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 24 minutes.
Top seed and world number three Simona Halep survived a scare against Annika Beck of Germany.
The world number 55 broke Halep to take a 3-2 lead in the deciding set, but the Romanian took the next four games to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Czech second seed and world number four Petra Kvitova took an hour to sweep aside home wildcard Duan Yingying 6-3, 6-1.