Former Wimbledon champions Yan Zi and Zheng Jie won the decider
on Sunday to help China beat France 3-2 for a semifinal place in
Fed Cup world group.
China's Li Na returns the
ball to France's Virginie Razzano during their Fed Cup World Group
tennis match in Beijing Feb. 3, 2008.
It's first time that China makes the last four and the results
will boost home hopes for the Olympic Games this summer here.
China, however, did it the hard way against an under-strength
French team though its second-ranked player Peng Shuai had left for
Europe matches after her singles win on Saturday.
With a 2-0 lead into Sunday's games, China wasted a fine chance
when top-ranked Li Na lost to the powerful French baseliner
Virginie Razzano.
Then doubles specialist Yan Zi, filling in for Peng, lost to
Nathalie Dechy 6-3, 6-2 before Yan and Zheng Jie won 7-5, 7-6,
clinching the tie-breaker 7-5 against Dechy and Razzano.
On Saturday, China went ahead when Li easily beat Fed Cup
debutant Alize Cornet, 18, and Peng beat Razzano in a hard-fought
three-setter.
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(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)
