Li Na, China's first seeded singles player in a grand slam draw,
swept into the third round at Wimbledon with an impressive 6-2 6-4
victory over American Meilen Tu on Wednesday.
"I am happy with my performance," she said after a victory
gained as the sun set on a memorable day for Chinese women players
who have their sights firmly set on the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Li was seeded 27th for the Wimbledon championships on the back
of her WTA ranking of 30th, a record high for a Chinese singles
player.
On Wednesday, she was the fourth Chinese woman to notch up a
notable triumph for the rising tennis nation at Wimbledon.
Zheng Jie faced a tough battle against the Czech Eva Birnerova
before advancing to the third round 7-6 5-7 6-3.
Relieved to have come out on top, she noted afterwards: "It was
difficult today. She had a big serve and good backhand. It really
is great to be here at Wimbledon for the first time."
But she, like all the other new young hopefuls of Chinese
tennis, had her thoughts firmly fixed on triumphing before a home
crowd.
"With the Olympics coming to Beijing in 2008, our tennis
association is giving big support to everyone," she said.
Sun Tiantian, who has already tasted Olympic glory with a
doubles gold medal at Athens in 2004, had a confidence-boosting 6-3
6-4 victory over Italian Nathalie Vierin to reach the second
round.
"In grand slams all matches are tough but I played well today,"
she said.
She certainly did not appear to be phased by the grass courts of
Wimbledon. "It is the same for everybody isn't it?" she said.
In another first round triumph, Peng Shuai defeated Greece's
Eleni Daniilidou 6-4 6-4. It was a notable scalp for her as
Daniilidou scored a major shock at Wimbledon last year when she
knocked out Justine Henin-Hardenne in the first round.
Peng Shuai
China has been gradually making breakthrough after breakthrough
into the top ranks over the last few years. At the Australian Open
in January, Zheng Jie and Yan Zi won China's first grand slam title
in women's doubles and then shortly afterwards they became the
first Chinese players to rank in the Top 10 in Doubles.
(Reuters via China Daily June 29, 2006)