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Venus Williams, famous tennis player,  believes Chinese women can be a force in the future once they start playing more WTA (Women Tennis Association) Tour events.

China's Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian cheer after beating Venus Williams and Chanda Rubin

Williams, playing with Chanda Rubin, crashed out in the first round of the women's doubles at the Olympic tennis tournament to Chinese pair Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian.

The eighth-seeded Chinese beat the Americans 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in 1hr 46min, raising their game in the third set after taking a spanking in the second.

Yan Zi and Zheng Jie joined them in the second round by beating Maja Matevzic and Tina Pisnik of Slovenia 6-2, 6-1.

"They were very professional, worked hard and once they get to play more Tour events they should improve," Williams said of the Chinese.

"They played well when they needed to," added Rubin.

Venus, who had never played doubles with anyone other than her younger sister Serena who was forced out of the Athens Games with a knee injury, dismissed suggestions she missed Serena.

"I love playing with Chanda, that's not even part of the equation," she said.

It was the pair's first doubles match this year.

The Chinese pair broke Rubin's serve in the eighth game of the third set when Williams put a volley out from the net.

And Sun clinched victory on her serve when Williams hit her return into the bottom of the net.

Ai Sugiyama of Japan, who scrambled into the women's singles seccond round with a 4-6, 6-3, 8-6 win over Zheng Jie, agreed the Chinese were a growing force.

"They're putting in a lot of work and gradually getting more tournament experience. You can see the improvements," she said.

(Photo source: sohu.com)

Editor: Lin Shujun