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LONDON: China's record-breaking giant-killer Zheng Jie has challenged her under-performing male compatriots to start making waves at Wimbledon.
Zheng became the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam semi-final when she defeated Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic at the All England Club on Tuesday and will face Serena Williams for a place in the final.
China boasts three women in the top 100 of the WTA rankings but the highest-ranked man on the ATP Tour is Peng Sun at 485.
"I think the Chinese men need more fitness and more power," said Zheng, who is only her country's fifth-best player standing at 133 in the world and who needed a wildcard to get into the main draw.
"There are more girls coming to play tennis but not so much the boys. Maybe it's because table tennis is so strong. Boys tend to choose table tennis."
Peng Sun will get the chance to gain experience at the Beijing Olympics in August after being handed a wildcard into the tennis tournament.
Meanwhile, China has high hopes for their leading junior Zhang Ze who has reached the last 16 of the boys singles at Wimbledon.
The 17-year-old is 40 in the junior rankings and knocked out Polish fourth seed Jerzy Jankowicz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the second round here and tackles Finland's Henri Kontinen for a place in the quarter-finals.
- AFP/jk
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