China aces determined to make a racket in Paris

No Chinese tennis player has reached the Olympic podium for 16 years. However, this summer, the national team represents a significant force in Paris compared to previous Games.

The Chinese team, featuring one man, Zhang Zhizhen, and six women led by Zheng Qinwen, is now set to make a strong push for medals at Roland Garros, where the tennis events will be held from July 27 to Aug 4.

Team China unveiled its lineup for the women's singles events at the upcoming Olympics on June 28. The team will feature four players: Zheng, Yuan Yue, Wang Xinyu, and Wang Xiyu. The appearance of Zheng, currently ranked seventh in the world, is particularly anticipated, given her strong performances on clay.

After an early exit at Wimbledon, the Chinese ace made a timely comeback at the WTA 250 Palermo Open, which wrapped up last Sunday. Displaying her resilience and skill, she navigated through the competition and successfully defended her title, extending her personal winning streak in Palermo to an impressive 10 matches.

Zheng's mastery over the clay courts of Sicily was undoubtedly a strong shot in the arm for her Olympic medal pursuit, setting the stage for a promising performance on the red dirt of Paris.

Zheng, seeded sixth for the Olympic tournament, is ready to tackle the challenge head-on.

"I always love the pressure that only tennis can give me," said Zheng when asked about the feeling of representing China at the Paris Games. "You play under pressure, and, when you achieve victory, the happiness is even greater, because becoming a champion is so difficult. That's why everyone wants it, everyone is fighting for it.

"I think I would fight until I die. If it means breaking my body, I will do it, because the Olympic Games only come once every four years. I will give everything for them."

Despite the absence of top-ranked players like Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur, who have withdrawn from the Olympics, the women's singles competition remains highly competitive. Notable contenders include Poland's Iga Swiatek, the 2024 French Open champion, and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.

China's best result in women's singles at the Olympics remains Li Na's fourth-place finish in 2008.

Debutant Zhang to shine

The men's singles draw for the Paris Olympics features a who's who of tennis superstars.

Leading the field are the newly crowned world No 1, Italian sensation Jannik Sinner and Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz, who has won both the French Open and Wimbledon titles in the last two months. The tournament will also be the Olympic swan song of tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who are more than likely making their final Games appearances, adding significant interest to this year's tournament.

Representing China in this elite field is Zhang, the sole male player on the Chinese Olympic tennis team. Zhang, a Shanghai native, achieved the milestone of winning a match at all four Grand Slam tournaments with his first-round victory at Wimbledon earlier this month, and is hoping to make a significant impact on the Olympic stage.

Zhang earned his Olympic spot by winning the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year. On Monday, he reached a new career-high ATP ranking of 31st, setting a record for the highest world ranking ever achieved by a male player from the Chinese mainland.

As China's top male player, Zhang has reached the third round at the past two French Opens. Known for his strength on clay courts, there is a lot of expectation on him to boost China's Olympic tennis performance.

Zhang has stated that, as this will be his first — and possibly only — Olympic experience, he is committed to delivering his best.

The Chinese Olympic tennis contingent also features the powerful women's doubles partnerships of Yuan Yue and Zhang Shuai, as well as Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai.

At June's WTA500 Berlin Open, Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai stormed through the competition, clinching the championship with a two-set victory in the final.

This marks their second title together, following their triumph at the 2021 WTA250 Courmayeur Open in Italy, solidifying their partnership for the Olympic journey.

Mao Yixun contributed to the story.