LONDON, UK - When the rankings were released on Monday, June 8, Li Na was back at No.20. Her compatriot, Zheng Jie, was already sitting at No.16. So history was made at the AEGON Classic in Birmingham last week, when China fielded two Top 20 players for the first time ever on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.
Li underlined the moment by making it all the way to the final of the event, scoring her first win in six attempts against Maria Sharapova in the semis. Although she succumbed to Magdalena Rybarikova in the final, it was enough to edge the 27-year-old up to No.19 this week.
In an era when nothing can be taken for granted whenever two Top 20 players step onto the court, having two representatives in this elite group is a feat for any nation. Although no country comes close to Russia, which boasts five players in the Top 20 (all ranked No.11 or higher, led by world No.1 Dinara Safina), China now stands among four countries with a double act in the Top 20. The US, of course, has Serena and Venus Wiliams; Serbia has Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic; and France provides Marion Bartoli and Amélie Mauresmo.
That's fine company, indeed - and it means that when the China Open Premier Mandatory takes place in October, the local heroines should be well placed to shine at the lotus flower-shaped National Tennis Center originally built for the Olympics.
Comeback Queens
The achievements of Li and Zheng are all the more impressive given both have struggled with serious injuries over the years. Yet each time they have bounced back better than ever - witness Zheng's dazzling run to the semifinals at Wimbledon last year, which played a large part in her being voted 2008 Comeback Player of the Year by her peers. Also last year, at the Gold Coast Li won her very first tournament after missing much of the 2007 schedule, and made it to the bronze medal play-off at the Beijing Olympics.
This season Zheng - who won China's first Grand Slam titles with doubles partner Yan Zi at the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006 - cracked the singles Top 20 on the back of a fourth round run at the Australian Open, rising to No.20 on February 2. The 25-year-old moved up to No.16 after the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, where she took Serena Williams to three sets in the fourth round.
Meantime Li, who couldn't compete in Australia because of a knee injury, came back with a vengeance, reaching the final at Monterrey, the fourth round at Indian Wells and the quarters in Miami, where she bumped into the aforementioned Ms Williams. Switching to clay, she also reached the last 16 at Roland Garros. Now in her tenth year as a pro, she is rapidly closing in on her former previous ranking high of No.16, reached in January 2007.
Not far behind is Peng Shuai, China's third-ranked singles ranked player, who currently sits at No.36, a few places below her high of No.31 set in 2005. In fact, China is one of just three countries with at least three players in the Top 40 at present, the others being Russia and France. Peng is China's highest-ranked doubles player at the moment, at No.15, boosted by title wins at Sydney and Rome this season with Hsieh Su-Wei of Chinese Taipei.
Click on these links for earlier profiles written about Zheng and Li.
