China focused on net gains

With Li Na in retirement and not defending her title at the Australian Open, there are far fewer Chinese flags and fans with painted faces in the stands at Melbourne Park.

So much so that when Peng Shuai, now China's top-ranked player, was beating Magdalena Rybarikova in their second-round match, there was just one fan shouting encouragement in Mandarin with a solitary Chinese flag.

On Friday, Peng, seeded No 21, overcame Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 7-6 (7), 6-3 in a third-round match.