Five-times champions Spain surged to a 2-0 lead over China in their Fed Cup semi-final on Saturday, helped by Carla Suarez-Navarro's victory over her much higher ranked opponent.
China, bidding to reach their first Fed Cup final, stumbled in the first singles rubber when world number 68 Peng Shuai was outplayed by 132-ranked Suarez-Navarro 6-3, 7-6 at the Beijing International Tennis Centre.
The Spaniard's powerful backhand and speed forced Peng into a series of errors that she could not make up for.
The 19-year-old Suarez-Navarro showed her calmness before some 2,000 Beijing spectators, who were enthusiastically cheering for the hosts.
China's misery continued in the second singles rubber when top-ranked Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives scored a 6-3, 6-4 victory over twice Grand Slam doubles champion Zheng Jie, who had recently come back after ankle surgery.
World number 76 Llagostera Vives successfully suppressed Zheng's attempt to fight back in the second set, winning a fifth game of 10 deuces.
Spain need victory in just one of the three remaining rubbers being played on Sunday to book a place in the final. China would need to win both reverse singles and the doubles to progress.
RUSSIA DRAW FIRST BLOOD
In the weekend's other semi-final, Anna Chakvetadze beat Vania King 6-4, 7-5 in the opening singles to give holders Russia a 1-0 lead against the United States in Moscow.
World number seven Chakvetadze broke the 115th-ranked King in the fifth game to go on to take the first set.
The Russian had to work a bit harder in the second, losing her serve twice in a row after double-faulting on a break point.
She finally held her nerve by saving two break points in the 12th game before clinching victory after 84 minutes.
World number four Svetlana Kuznetsova was playing Ahsha Rolle, making her Fed Cup debut, in the second singles rubber later on Saturday.
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