Chinese female tennis plays low key

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-11-29 08:41

Chinese female tennis players kept low key as they arrived on Tuesday for the 15th Asian Games to be held from December 1-15.

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"I will not say a single word at this moment," said Sun Jinfang, director of the Tennis Administrative Center of the State Sports General Administration of China.

But she and her colleagues did say several times in the past two years that the goal of the national tennis squad at the Doha Asian Games would be one gold, which was widely thought as a reserved goal by public.

Four years ago, Chinese tennis players suffered a heavy trauma at the Busan Asian Games, heading with hopes of chalking up at least one gold but coming back even without a single semifinalist.

The 51-year-old Sun, who captained the honorable five-time champions women's volleyball team in the 1980s, brought a new look to the sport in China as a string of breakthroughs have been made year by year since she took office in the sport governing body in 2003.

The women dream squad for the Asiad tennis tournament feature Asian number one Li Na, number three Zheng Jie, number four Peng Shuai and doubles ace Yan Zi, who partnered Zheng to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year and 2004 Olympic champions Li Ting/Sun Tiantian.

"The Asian Games are very important and I will fight for the glory," said the 23-year-old Zheng on Tuesday. "Compared with the Busan Games four years ago, we are getting much maturer.

"As for my injury, it is okey. And my physical conditions will be good enough for the three events (in singles, doubles and team) at the same time."

China's team also includes 20-year-old rising star Peng Shuai, who is ranked 55th by the WTA and became the first Chinese player to reach the last four of the China Open in September.

"It is the first time for me to be in Doha, so I feel curious. As for the Asian Games, I will try to play to my best," she said.



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