Rising Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai will play the Pacific Life Open after a one-month break.

Twenty-year-old Peng, who is now 60th in the women's world rankings, has been off the court after a first round loss at the year-starter Australian Open.

She missed the WTA events in Thailand, UAE and Qatar after a row with the Chinese national team management.

Peng will play Frenchwoman Foretz Stephanie in the first round of the Pacific Life Open.

Her teammate Sun Tiantian, Athens Olympics doubles' champion, will take on Julia Schruff of Germany.

Zheng Jie and Yan Zi, newly crowned Aussie Open Champions, will face Austria's Sybille Bammer and American Ashley Harkleroad in the singles respectively.

Meanwhile, Yuan Meng, the only Chinese woman reached the singles third round at the Australian Open, won her opening match at the Pacific Life Open qualifying.

(CRI English?March 8, 2006)