By Zhao Rui (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-31 10:20

Never has a Chinese tennis player been the subject of so much criticism, sparked so many career concerns, or been so crucial to the future of the country's Olympic success. Is Peng Shuai ready for the Games?

Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai returns a ball in her match against third-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo at the Beijing Tennis Center in this September 21, 2007 file photo. Peng beat Mauresmo 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 to grab the last berth of the last four at the China Open WTA tournament. [Xinhua]

The answer is: Yes.

With the Olympic tournament clearly the most important tennis event for this sports-crazed nation, a self-assured Li Na is penciled in as the top choice to win China its first singles' medal. Zheng Jie and Yan Zi are hoping to repeat China's dream doubles showing in Athens, where Sun Tiantian and Li Ting won gold.

Li Na, Zheng and Yan have proven themselves at the WTA level, but Peng - blessed with great talent but the "worst-ever" mentality - is the team's lone X-factor.

Peng knows she has a lot to prove at the Beijing Olympics.

"I just want to plunge into the Olympic battle for my country, that's all I want to do right now," she said. "It is my career tournament and it is my dream to represent my motherland at the highest stage and win glory and applause for it."

Dubbed "China's Monica Seles", the 22-year-old from Hunan, now ranked world No 51, was once widely considered China's most gifted player with her powerful double-handed strokes.

But her unusual training background and unruly personality limited her in international performances, as Li and Zheng climbed up the rankings and collected Grand Slam titles.

Peng differs from other Chinese athletes, most of whom are funded by their local sports authorities. Tianjin Sports Bureau, located some 1,000km from her hometown of Changsha, Hunan province, discovered Peng when she was 13 and snatched her up before her home province could recruit her. Thanks to Tianjin's sponsorship, she was able to join pro tennis much earlier than the most of her compatriots and has been collecting points and prize money ever since.

As the youngest player on the national team, Peng used to be China's No 1 singles player before Li emerged. Her best run came in early 2006 when she defeated several top-10 players to become the highest-ranked Chinese at 33.

But a left ankle injury slowed Peng down as she tumbled out of top 50 and failed to live up to people's expectations for the rest of the season.

After publicly challenging the country's sports authority during the China Tennis Grand Prix in Guangzhou in 2006 and refusing to join the national team, her future appeared uncertain. She was disqualified from the tournament for coming late, but claimed she was set up.

   1 2   

   1 2