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 [ Images ] was outplayed by 132-ranked Suarez-Navarro 6-3, 7-6 at the Beijing [ Images ] 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 [ Images ], 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 [ Images ] DRAW FIRST BLOOD

In the weekend's other semi-final, Anna Chakvetadze [ Images ] beat Vania King [ Images ] 6-4, 7-5 in the opening singles to give holders Russia a 1-0 lead against the United States in Moscow [ Images ].

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 [ Images ] was playing Ahsha Rolle, making her Fed Cup debut, in the second singles rubber later on Saturday.