China's Zheng Jie eyes Olympic glory at Wimbledon

Chinese tennis player Zheng Jie has won the women's doubles champion and reached semifinals in singles at both Wimbledon and Australian Open, but she said she has a kind of special feeling to the Olympic Games.

The 11th seed, a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2008, fought back from one set down on Tuesday to defeat Canada's Stephanie Dubois 4- 6, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round.

"The Olympic Games is special," said the dimunitive player. "It 's held once four years and you are representing your country. I always feel excited playing in the Olympics."

The upcoming London Olympic Games is much more special because it's held in Wimbledon, her favorite tennis ground. She became the first Chinese to enter the singles event last four at a Grand Slam tournament four years ago, following her doubles victory with Yan Zi in 2006.

"Grass is my favorite," she said. "I hope to do better this year at the Olympics than in Beijing and Athens."

Zheng won the women's doubles bronze medal four years ago in Beijing with her long-time partner Yan, whom she played together when she also took the Austrlaian Open champion in 2006 and fifth place in Athens Olympics.

But in the singles event, she was not very much successful in the Olympic arena, where she was stopped in the first round in Athens and third round in Beijing.

"I remember every moment I played at the Olympics, win or loss. They are very beautiful memories of my life," Zheng said.

Zheng, who stands only 1.64 meters, was billed women's Michael Chang in China for her speed and consistency is just like the Chinese American's playstyle. Now at 29 and plagued with a slipped disk, she said that she still hopes to better her record at Wimbledon and the Olympics.

"I have owned everything now, fame, money and social position. It's enough for the rest of my life. But I want to keep going, to play out there. If you still have desire to fight on in your heart, you have the chance to achieve better results," she said.

Zheng, who has won four WTA singles titles in her career with the latest the ASB Classic in early 2012, reached the fourth round in Australian Open this year and was eliminated in the second round in French Open to Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada, whom she will meet here in the second round.

"I will take the revenge at Wimbledon," she said. "I am not very good at the clay court. I believe I can do better in grass."

In the Birmingham grass tournament leading to Wimbleon, she reached the semifinals before losing to former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic in three sets.

The London Olympic Games will be held three weeks after the Wimbledon final. Zheng said she will be ready to come back.

"I think one week is enough to get myself prepared," she said. "I am a professional player."