Athens Olympic gold medallists Sun Tiantian and Li Ting kept the momentum going for Asia on Friday in the Australian Open doubles, capping a strong day for China.

 

They were joined in the next round by compatriots Zheng Jie and Yan Zi, who reached the semi-finals or better at seven tour events in their breakthrough season last year, including the US Open quarter-finals.

 

But there was disappointment for Taiwan's Wang Yeu-tzuoo and his Chinese mainland partner Li Na, who fell in the mixed doubles to Swiss comeback queen Martina Hingis and Indian doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi.

 

Sun was confident that she and Li could go far here. She has eyes on the title even though their next opponents are top seeds Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur.

 

"This tournament is very important for us because it is a Grand Slam and it doesn't get bigger than this," Sun, of Beijing, said after they beat the Australian pair of Casey Dellacqua and Trudi Musgrave 7-5, 6-2.

 

"It is bigger than the Olympics because there are professional players taking part, better players as many of them don't compete at the Olympics."

 

Li and Sun made history for China with their 6-3, 6-3 victory over Spain's Conchita Martinez and Virginia Ruano Pascual in Athens and said it was a vitally important result for Chinese tennis.

 

"It was really important not just for us but also for the future of Chinese tennis," Sun said. "We are always trying to get better.

 

Zheng and Yan, the 12th seeds, join them in the third round after a 6-4, 6-0 drubbing of Spain's Lourdes Lino Dominguez and Maria Lorenzo Sanchez.

 

They next play Flavia Pennetta and Elena Dementieva, seeded seventh.

 

China's Peng Shuai and Li Na also remain in the competition and play their second-round match against Japan's Ai Sugiyama and Daniela Hantuchova of the Slovak Republic on Saturday.

 

While there was success for China, other Asians fared worse. Doubles specialist Leander Paes of India and partner Martin Damm of the Czech Republic lost to Czech pair Lukas Dlouhy and Pavel Viznar.

 

Taiwan's Janet Lee, hooked with Amy Frazier of the United States, also tumbled out, losing to No 2 seeds Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Rennae Stubbs of Australia in straight sets.

 

Sugiyama, playing with Australian Wayne Arthurs in the mixed doubles, beat Carlos Moya of Spain and Italy's Flavia Pennetta.

 

Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn and Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei play on Saturday against Shinobu Asagoe of Japan and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovakia.

 

India's Bhupathi also is still in the men's doubles, paired with Wesley Moodie of South Africa. They also play on Saturday.

 

Asia's singles campaign has almost ground to a halt with every regional player out except Japan's Aiko Nakamura.

 

(China Daily January 21, 2006)