FACTBOX-Tennis-Open-The rise of China's women

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) - Milestones in the progress of
Chinese women's tennis after Li Na reached the final of the
French Open on Thursday:

2004

August - Sun Tiantian and Li Ting win China's first Olympic
gold medal in the sport in the women's doubles at the Athens
Games.

October - Li Na is the first Chinese to win a WTA Tour
singles title, in Guangzhou.

2005

January - Zheng Jie wins her first WTA Tour title at Hobart.

2006

January - Zheng Jie and Yan Zi win China's first grand slam
title in the women's doubles at the Australian Open.

May - Zheng wins the first all-Chinese final at a WTA event
when Li Na withdraws injured from the Estoril final.

June - Li Na becomes the first Chinese player to reach the
quarter-finals of grand slam at Wimbledon. Zheng and Yan win a
second grand slam doubles title.

2008

June - Zheng, a 133rd-ranked wildcard, beats top seed Ana
Ivanovic on her way to the semi-finals at Wimbledon, the first
Chinese to reach the last four at a grand slam.

August - Zheng and Yan win bronze in women's doubles at the
Beijing Olympics, while Li Na misses out on a medal after defeat
to Vera Zvonareva in the bronze medal match.

2010

January - Zheng and Li Na reach the last four at the
Australian Open, the first time China has had two players in the
last four at a grand slam. Lose to Justine Henin and eventual
champion Serena Williams respectively.

- Li Na becomes the first Chinese player to reach the
women's top 10 in the world rankings.

2011

January - Li comes back from 5-0 down in the first set to
beat Kim Clijsters in the final and win the Sydney
International, her first "premier" level WTA title.

- Peng Shuai beats seventh seed Jelena Jankovic on her way
to her first grand slam fourth round appearance at Melbourne
Park.

- Li beats world number one and top seed Caroline Wozniacki
in the semi-finals of the Australian Open to become the first
Chinese to reach a grand slam singles final, losing to Kim
Clijsters.

- Li reaches a second consecutive grand slam final at the
French Open after beating Maria Sharapova in the last four.

- - - -

(Compiled by Nick Mulvenney and Mark Meadows; Editing by Tom
Pilcher; To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)