Sand queens set to stand and deliver

Xue Chen (left) and Zhang Xi in action during the Beach Volleyball World Tour's Beijing Grand Slam event last week. [Provided to China Daily]

Beijing bronze medalists aiming to top the podium this time around in London, Tang Zhe reports.

China's women's beach volleyball pairs shone on home sand at the Beijing Olympics, bagging silver and bronze medals. However, there was some regret too, as the country, who then boasted the No 2 and No 4 ranked pairs in the world, is still short of an Olympic gold in the sport.

"It was really exciting to see two national flags rise at the same time, it's a pity that we missed the gold, but our opponents (American pair Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor) were stronger than us. I hope we can go a step better in London," Miu Zhihong, head coach of the Chinese beach volleyball team, said after those Games.

Zhang Xi and Xue Chen, who finished third in their first Olympics in Beijing, are serious title competitors in London, as they have won four international titles since last November and have already secured a berth at the Games.

The pair won the Brasilia Open title in April by overwhelming Brazil's world No 1 combination of Larissa and Juliana in the semifinals, and upsetting another pair from the host country, world No 4-ranked combo Talita and Antonelli, in the final.

Though Xue injured her right ankle at the Sanya Open in April, where the team finished third, the Chinese pair grabbed another Grand Slam title in Shanghai in May.

"It's a tough year for us, and we have played each game to the full extent of our ability. I made some technical improvements at the last tournament (in Shanghai) and I hope that will help us to cooperate with each other better," Zhang said.

Though showing strong momentum before the London Olympics, Zhang said the duo has many rivals to deal with, including the teams from the United States, Brazil and Germany.

"Compared with the Brazilians, we have an advantage in height over the net, but we are not as good in ball control and dealing with the technical details of the game. The most important thing for us now is to hone our skills by training and playing." said the 27-year-old Zhang.

The pair will have a three-week rest after the Beijing Grand Slam, where it finished ninth. The interval will enable the duo to get over fatigue and help Xue recover from her injury.

The 23-year-old Xue damaged ligaments in her right foot during an accidental clash with an opponent in the semifinals of the Sanya Open. She has had to bind her toes together before matches. The pair said Xue's injury has affected her performance, but believes it could provide extra motivation for them to play better.

"It's really hard for her to play with the injury because she can't gain a proper grip on the sand," Zhang said.

Xue said it would take quite some time for her to fully recover, but expects she will be fully fit for the Olympics.

"I did not stop playing after getting injured and I have no time to think about it while on the court, " Xue said. "The Shanghai Grand Slam was a new experience for us. Because of my injury, we felt less pressure and played with more patience and we won.

"It seems whenever one of us plays hurt, we have a better mentality," Xue said. "We are continually learning how to handle pressure and solve problems through training and playing and our mindset has considerably strengthened in recent times."

However, compared with the Beijing Olympics, when two Chinese pairs qualified for the event, Zhang and Xue might have to fight for the London glory alone, as prospective teammates are struggling to claim one of the 24 berths at the Olympics.

On the men's side, Wu Penggen and Xu Linyin, who finished ninth at the Beijing Games, have endured a tough year and have also been hampered by injury.

Wu, 30, hurt his left knee at last year's Grand Prix meet in Russia and was diagnosed with a cartilage injury.

Wu said he was recovering well and it would not stand in the way of their bid to reach their last Olympics.

"We will retire after the London Olympics," he said. "Therefore, it is our final target and we will strive to do our best. We have already qualified for the Games, and we are trying to gain more points to enhance our ranking, which will help us get a good seeding at the Olympics."

You can contact the writer at tangzhe@chinadaily.com.cn