Li Na ready to lead China's women into Fed Cup elite

BEIJING, July 11 (Reuters) Chinese trio Li Na, Zheng Jie and Yan Zi have returned to Beijing after their Wimbledon heroics determined to continue their stellar year by guiding their country into the Fed Cup elite for the first time.

The hosts take on a young Germany team lacking their best player, Anna-Lena Groenefeld, at the Beijing International Tennis Centre this weekend with a place in the 2007 World Group at stake.

Li became her country's first singles grand slam quarter-finalist at the All England Club last week while Zheng and Yan won China's first Wimbledon title and their second grand slam women's doubles title of the year on Sunday.

''I will certainly play in the match if my country asks me to, no matter what my situation is,'' world number 22 Li told a news conference today.

''It doesn't matter how I've been playing, it's all about my contribution to the team.'' Yan and Zheng, who arrived back in Beijing on Tuesday, are now world ranked third and fourth in women's doubles and if their Wimbledon campaign proves to have been too arduous, 2004 Olympic champions Sun Tiantian and Li Ting are on standby.

China's other singles player in their 4-0 World Group II defeat of Indonesia in April was Peng Shuai, who is struggling with a knee problem she picked up at Wimbledon.

''Peng Shuai's injury is not severe but she has been receiving treatment and hasn't joined in training,'' China's national team captain Chen Qimin said.

''Whether she plays depends on how her treatment goes.'' GERMAN UNDERDOGS Zheng, however, is no slouch in the singles, reaching the third round at the All England Club to boost her ranking to 34th in the world.

That is 95 places higher than the German team's top-ranked player in the absence of world number 16 Groenefeld, who picked up a foot injury playing doubles at Wimbledon.

''We're big underdogs,'' said team captain Barbara Rittner, who has Fed Cup debutants Kristina Barrois, world number 129, and Kathrin Woerle (154) in her team.

''China's results in recent weeks speak for themselves. It's one of the worst draws we could have had, playing in China against the upcoming Chinese girls.

''We're just here to experience this week and play our best tennis.'' Chen, unaware of Groenefeld's withdrawal, thought the twice Fed Cup champions would offer a stern test of his team.

''The Germany team is of a high standard,'' he said. ''We are neck-and-neck in strength but we have home advantage and I hope our players can play better.'' REUTERS PM VA VV1344