Peng sinks Czink to set up Sharapova clash

      LONDON - China's Peng Shuai beat Hungary's Melinda Czink 6-2, 7-6 (7 / 5) in the Wimbledon third round on Saturday to set up a clash with Maria Sharapova for a place in the quarter-finals. Peng equalled her best-ever Grand Slam performance, having made the fourth round at this year's Australian Open, in an assured display on the Court 18. Peng was the only remaining Chinese in the singles after French Open winner Li Na was beaten by Germany's Sabine Lisicki and Zheng Jie went out to Japanese qualifier Misaki Doi in the second round. Chinese number two Peng is on a career-high world ranking of 20 and is the highest-ranked player without a singles title to her name. She now faces Russian 2004 Wimbledon champion Sharapova, who came through her third round match on Court 2 in straight sets. The match is likely to take place on one of the biggest show courts given fifth seed Sharapova's pedigree. Czink had knocked out Australian 10th seed Samantha Stosur in round one but Peng's better serving and relative lack of unforced errors made the difference on Court 18. Czink broke in the third game but Peng broke straight back and broke again for a 4-2 lead. She converted another break point to take the set 6-2 in just 25 minutes. The Hungarian made nine unforced errors in the first set, whereas Peng made none at all. The second set was a much tighter affair, with Czink again breaking first, this time for a 3-2 lead. Peng had to break to stay in the set and did so with Czink hitting the net after a brave line call. Peng had three match points in the tie-break and though Czink saved two, she hit a second serve return long to give the Chinese the match in an hour and 22 minutes. The Tian Jin double-hander had booked her third round place less than 24 hours earlier on the same 800-seater show court, beating British number one Elena Baltacha 4-6, 6-2, 7-5. Peng, 25, missed last year's Wimbledon due to illness, so has no ranking points to defend. In reaching the third round, Czink had equalled her best-ever Grand Slam achievement. The Hungarian, 28, had missed the last three slams due to shoulder and elbow injuries. She was the lowest-ranked player left in the draw at number 262, but had entered the main draw through a special ranking of 72 due to her injuries.