China claim women's tennis doubles gold

Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian won the first tennis medal for China when they beat Spain's Conchita Martinez and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3, 6-3 in the final.

Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian won the women's tennis doubles gold medal for China when they beat Spain's Conchita Martinez and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday's final.

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Paola Suarez and Patricia Tarabini of Argentina beat Shinobu Asagoe and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in the bronze medal match on Saturday.

Li, 24, and Sun, 22, had knocked out defending champion Venus Williams and Chanda Rubin of the United States in the first round.

This was their first title in 2004 after they won three WTA tour titles in 2003.

The eighth seeds were always in command against the second seeded Spaniards and never looked back after gaining an early break in each set.

The gold medal was China's first Olympic tennis medal.