Tashkent, Uzbekistan -- (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Chinese Shuai Peng led the charge into the semifinals at the $145,000 Tashkent Open.

Peng dropped the first set against game Romanian Monica Niculescu before charging back for a 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4 decision on the hardcourts at Tashkent Tennis Centre.

The 22-year-old Peng's opponent on Saturday will be fourth-seeded German Sabine Lisicki, who outlasted Poland's Urszula Radwanska 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) in Friday's quarterfinals.

The other semifinal will pit third-seeded Romanian Sorana Cirstea against fifth-seeded Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova, as Cirstea handled 15-year-old rising Portuguese Michelle Larcher de Brito 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), while Rybarikova leveled Romanian Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-1, 6-2.

The 2008 Tashkent champion will collect $22,925.