| Tools: Save | Print | " target="_blank" class="style1">E-mail | Most Read |
| Tennis Maverick Leads Team to Victory |
| Adjust font size: |
|
Once troubled by her relations with the national team, China's top tennis player Li Na ended the turmoil on Sunday by leading her team to its first-ever Fed Cup World Group II victory at the Bung Karno Tennis Stadium in Jakarta. Li, now No 56 on the WTA Rankings, wrapped up two singles matches in a landslide 4-0 win over Indonesia and said the team' support gave her the belief to win the match. "The victory is incredible," she said after winning the third match of the tie. "The Fed Cup means a lot for me, it makes me energized. "My coach and teammates always supported me in the match and it is the key that makes me survive the tough condition to win the game." Li took the decisive third singles match by defeating World No 620 Angelique Widjaja 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the 2 1/2-hour marathon amid 1,000 crazed Indonesian fans. "I felt exhausted after winning the last point and that's a hard-fought victory," she said. On Saturday, Li Outclassed Romana Tedjakusuma 6-3, 6-4 and world No 65 Peng Shuai beat Widjaja 6-3, 6-0. The doubles match between Peng / Yan Zi and Ayu Fani Damayanti / Septi Mende was cancelled due to heavy rain but the result was already clear. China has now entered the World Group I qualifers, which takes place in July to decide the country's possible spot among the top eight countries in the world. Li, who became the first Chinese player to win a WTA title atGuangzhou International in 2004, smashed the national team after losing in the first round of China Open last year. "I got confused about my future in the team and I didn't make any progress over years," Li said. She repeated the similar assault during the Tenth National Games a month later. China's tennis chief Sun Jinfang said Li's her chances at the Beijing Olympics is in doubt, as she failed to meet the mental requirement of the national team. The 24-year-old Li, who has created China's top ranking at No 33 last October, suffered a slow start this season, losing in the first round at the Australian Open when her teammates Zheng Jie, who teamed up with Yan, clinched the historic doubles title. Li then bounced back in March as she cruised to her 200th career singles match win after reaching the fourth round at Indian Wells and also made the second round at Miami, Florida, bowing to eventual runner-up Maria Sharapova of Russia. The Chinese team led by captain Jiang Hongwei has returned to China yesterday morning to get prepared for clay-court competitions. Six Chinese women's players, including Zheng, Li, Peng, Yan, Sun Tiantian and Yuan Meng, made the main draw of the coming French Open. Impressive progress has been seen in China's tennis since Li Ting and Sun pocketed the women's doubles gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The sizzling women's players then continued the flow in dramatic fashion, highlighted by the fast improvements on the WTA Rankings. Four Chinese players made the top 100 with Zheng at 48, Li at 56. Peng at 65 and Yan at 77. (China Daily April 25, 2006) |
| Tools: Save | Print | " target="_blank" class="style1">E-mail | Most Read |
 |
| Related Stories |
|
