All four Chinese players stopped at French Open first round

China's Peng Shuai gets medical assistance during the women's singles match against Polona Hercog of Slovenia at the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, May 24, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

PARIS -- With Wang Qiang beaten by former champion Francesca Schiavone on Tuesday, all four Chinese players have been stopped in the first round of the French Open tennis tournament.

Wang, ranked 102nd in the world, was dominant in the first set, broke the 2010 champion twice to win 6-3, but the 35-year-old Schiavone, who has slipped to 92nd, fought back to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-4 after two hours and nine minutes.

It was the Chinese player's first match at Roland Garros and at 23 she has learned it is too difficult to emulate compatriot Li Na's achievement at the red clay Grand Slam event.

"I was very excited and nervous," Wang said. "After winning the first set, I had thought I could win it but made too many errors at the crucial moment."

"In China, I don't have any chance to play on clay. I just found it very different from playing on hard court."

Li, who defeated Schiavone in the 2011 French Open final, may be very much disliked by the press and tennis fans because of her hypocritic and reluctant nature, but is still China's best product in tennis, winning nine WTA titles including two Grand Slam crowns before retiring last year.

Wang was the last Chinese player to exit at this year's tournament, following Peng Shuai, Zhang Shuai and Zheng Saisai.

Peng, ranked 24th, is China's top player but has been plagued with a serious back injury since early this year, retiring in the first round trailing Slovenia's Polona Hercog 6-0, 3-0.

The 29-year-old, who reached her first Grand Slam semifinals in last year's US Open, will have a back surgery later and miss the rest of the season, putting her career in doubt.