China's Peng Shuai gave former world No. 1 Martina Hingis some nervous moments at the U.S. Open on Wednesday before the 20-year-old Chinese lost her energy and the first-round match as well.(photo: sina)

"I feel I played really well," the unseeded Peng said. "I played some good tennis before I ran out of energy."

Peng used her powerful two-handed backhand to win the first set 6-4 before the eighth-seeded Swiss charged back to win the next two sets 6-1 6-3 and advance to the second round of the year's last grand slam.

"I used up too much energy in the first set," Peng said about the 49-minute battle that saw her launch an impressive 16 winners off her backhand. "I'm tired."

The 60th-ranked Peng, who rose as high as 31st in the rankings last year after victories over three top 10 ranked players, has been plagued by injuries this year.

She hurt her left foot early in the season, suffered a leg injury at the French Open and a knee ailment at Wimbledon.

Hingis, the 1997 champion and a five-times grand slam winner, was impressed with Peng.

"I couldn't really read her," Hingis said after her first meeting with the Chinese. "It took me a while to get adjusted.

"She had maybe some issues, some injuries and all these things. She was on the way up, but something stopped her. But I definitely think that, you know, she has a good future."

China has six women players in the U.S. Open draw. Li Na and Zheng Jie entered the second round.

Hingis saluted the efforts and rise of Chinese players in the women's game.

"I think with having the goal and the sights they have for Beijing, for the (2008) Olympics, they do anything. It's great, a country like China can be the host and willing to go all way.

"They're very hard-working. I think you don't see that in the Western countries that often anymore because girls have other options to do other things, which come easier than do sports, because it's really hard work and you have to have the passion and desire and discipline."

Editor: Donald