Could this be the beginnig of an era?
There are two chinese women in the final:

Zheng V Li

Hello!

Well, this was reading my mind exactly..

I was intrigued that the Estoril final has the first ever all-Chinese match up on the WTA circuit.

The Asian nations seem to be under-represented in both WTA and LTA events in terms of high ranking players, especially so on the men's side (Paradorn excepted, and Paes and Bhupati on the doubles side). Oh, and Asagoe, Sugiyama, Mirza on the women's side, as well as the 2 finalists today. But still, slim pickings.

I wonder why this is?

Could there be a cultural aspect, with badminton perhaps being more popular in Japan and China, and cricket reigning supreme in India?

I think back to how well Takao Suzuki played against Fed at the AO in 2005 and wonder if there might be a few others to break through. I mean, it wasn't so long ago that there was the first ever Russian grand slam final. Also, there seems to be a few tournaments taking place in Asia, which would appear to show a good deal of interest in the game.

I did find this website, but I guess that it doesn't seem to give an idea of trends, who might break through, etc.

http://www.asiantennis.com/

Any thoughts?

Zheng wins the title! 6-7 7-5 ret.
Congratulations to both ladies

Click here

Poor Na Li, lookhow much pain she is in.

Atleast this women is happy,
Zheng

BTW what has happened to Peng?

Poor Na :(

But a brilliant week for Chinese tennis to go along with the AO doubles victory earlier this year.

Hmm.. I do recall the AO victory.

How many slam victories had Chinese players won before then?

Ah well, maybe no-one else knows about Asian tennis, nor is that interested??

i started following chinese tennis after the olympic games, i knew something was going to happen. Then, in LA, when Peng had that wonderful run beating Kim and Elena; i was worried. Also, enjoyed Li's match against Dav at USO. Yet to preove themselves in singles GS though. I just hope they dont do what theyve done to table tennis.

I would have thought that, if anywhere, a breakthrough for Asian players would happen on clay. I thought that they'd have the fitness, the speed, the patience, the tactical awareness, oh, and the strokeplay to be effective on the surface. I wouldn't imagine that serve would be their strong point.

For some reason, on the men's front I am thinking of Coria (I do like the 'Double Fault Luck Dragon' nickname!) as a kind of template.

On the women's side, perhaps there are more possiblilties on more surfaces, plus more likely that they will break through before the men do. I know that Paradorn did, but he is built more like a Westerner, and plays more like one. I think that he likes the clay least too!

What will be interesting is when they do break through (and I'd imagine it is a when) whether their style might differ, rather than emulate the existing top players As long as they don't get assimilated into the Bottlieri sausage factory..!

Hmm, i doubt if they'll dominate in the same way as in table tennis, as I don't think that the grass and fast hard courts will suit. I'm basing the above theories about their style of play partly on observations from watching them play badminton. :) I guess that this is not an entirely scientific approach!