Zheng and Yan seal Fed Cup tie 3-2 for China

By Ian Ransom

BEIJING (Reuters) - Zheng Jie and Yan Zi beat France's Virginie Razzano and Nathalie Dechy 7-5 7-6 in the deciding doubles rubber on Sunday to seal a 3-2 win for China in their Fed Cup world group first-round tie.

The former Wimbledon and Australian Open doubles champions held their nerve in the second-set tiebreak to end France's hopes of a fairytale comeback and send China into their first Fed Cup semi-final.

China, who led France 2-0 on Saturday after Li Na and Peng Shuai won their opening singles rubbers, had to rely on their top doubles pairing to seal the win after Razzano and Dechy took the reverse singles over Li and Yan.

"We have accomplished our goal," China captain Jiang Hongwei said.

Zheng, in her first match back with Yan after an injury lay-off, was instrumental in China's win, clubbing several winners in the tiebreak to secure two match points, before sealing the victory with a lunging volley.

"At the start I was a little bit nervous, after all it was the decider," Zheng said. "That we were able to play well under such pressure, I feel quite satisfied."

World number 27 Razzano gave France some crucial momentum in the first reverse singles, coming from a set behind to beat Li 4-6 6-2 6-4.

"It was a very good match altogether. It was very difficult to lose the first set. But in my head it was never finished," Razzano said.