Chinas Pride Zheng Li and Na Li Bows Out From French Open
Chinas Zheng Jie and Na Li had a much earlier exit At Roland Garros. The two Chinese tennis stars had a remarkable in January, when they made into the semifinals of the Australian Open. Both top-20 players, Zheng and Li looks for a better showing at the start of the grass court season, most especially in the coming Wimbledon Open at All-England Court in June.
Despite Zheng Jie’s French Open second round lost and Na Li’s third round meltdown, the two showed their competitive edge against the best tennis players in the world. Li Na and Zheng Jie are both considered new rising Chienese stars. The two celebrated players are transforming Chinese tennis into a local favorite not just on the court but also in the boardroom.
Following their historical performance during the Australian Open women’s semifinals, Li and Zheng were both seeded at the Roland Garros. 26-year old year old Zheng and 28 year old Li began their foray into the French Open both acing their first round matches. Li, who ranked as the 11th seed won against home favorite Kristina Mladenovic 7-5, 6-3. Zheng, on the other hand, blasted Ekaterina Bychkova of Russia 7-5, 6-4.
Li’s Third Round Loss
After winning against Stephanie Cohen-Aloro of France 6-2, 6-2 in the second round, Li Na succumbed to Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-2 in the third round.
Li Na committed to may unforced errors, allowing Schiavone to gain confidence on her way to a straight set victory over the Chinese.
Li Na fell one round short of her best French Open performance last year. Na’s vulnerability was exposed in the first set of her first round match against Mledenovic, the defending junior champion.
Mledonovic pushed Na to the limit in the opening set with baseline shots and powerful forehands. In the end, the Chinese veteran came out with clutch shots to win 7-5.
Despite her good track record playing on clay court, Li expressed that she was not satisfied with her early performance on her last match at Court Suzanne Lenglen. Li even went as far as describing her performance as the worst for her this season. Although she was ranked as the world No. 12, Li also felt the pressure on court when she played the two French women. She explained that having French opponents almost guaranteed that the majority of the crowd is rooting for her opponent.
Li is high ranking Asian tennis player who made history when she became the first Chinese to be ranked in the world top 10. While he felt good about her playing form back at Warsaw Open, Li still felt the nerves during the Roland Garros opening round. Li anticipates what her next French Open match holds for her.
Zheng’s Second Round Rout
While Zheng Jie may have enjoyed a first round victory, she soon experienced the same dilemma that most American players has: practicing on home clay courts was different from the tournament’s red dirt. The Chinese player had to adjust her playing style to the kind of court the French Open provided. Zheng lost to Pivovarova of Russia with a 6-4, 6-3 result. The Chinese player further emphasized how the play in Europe was comparatively faster than the home play she was used to. Zheng shared how Chinese clay courts are similar to the United States as compared to the European version. Zheng hopes to practice on clay courts comparable to the French Open for next year.
Zheng who qualified for the semifinals back at the Australian Open was not able to turn nine break points during the first set. Pivovarova who was ranked 187th in fact gained the advantage. Pivovarova previously failed surpassing any first round match at major tournaments. Zheng further explained that her leg may have contributed to her second round lost. She was injured during her opening round. Despite her attempts to play a more aggressive tennis, she failed to do so because of her leg injury. This served as a heavy blow for the first ever Chinese player to qualify for the semifinal rounds of the Grand Slam.
With their latest setbacks at Roland Garros, Zheng and Na look forward for another great run in the Wimbledon Open.
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