China's Peng Shaui has surged up the rankings in 2011. She started the season strongly in Auckland, making the semis and losing a tight three-set battle to then defending champion Yanina Wickmayer. Since then, Peng has knocked out a number of top 20 players and ended the year ranked #17 on the WTA Tour, after ending 2010 ranked #72.

After her successful run in Auckland, she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, beating No 7 seed Jelena Jankovic before losing a heartbreaker to No 12 seed Agnieska Radwanska 75 36 75 (she held two match points in the third set).

Her good run down under spurred on a career best year, and she went 53 - 21 and made the fourth round of three grand slams (Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open) after never reaching that stage before 2011.

Peng is now China's second highest ranked player (after countrywoman Li Na who sits at #5 on the WTA tour).