Yan Zi and Zheng Jie in action (Photo credit: A Min/Sportsphoto.cn)

Zheng Jie and Yan Zi celebrate. (Photo credit: A Min/Sportsphoto.cn)

BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Former Wimbledon champions Yan Zi and Zheng Jie won the decider on Sunday to help China beat France 3-2 for a semifinal place in Fed Cup world group.

It's first time that China makes the last four and the results will boost home hopes for the Olympic Games this summer here.

China, however, did it the hard way against an under-strength French team though its second-ranked player Peng Shuai had left for Europe matches after her singles win on Saturday.

With a 2-0 lead into Sunday's games, China wasted a fine chance when top-ranked Li Na lost to the powerful French baseliner Virginie Razzano.

Then doubles specialist Yan Zi, filling in for Peng, lost to Nathalie Dechy 6-3, 6-2 before Yan and Zheng Jie won 7-5, 7-6, clinching the tie-breaker 7-5 against Dechy and Razzano.

On Saturday, China went ahead when Li easily beat Fed Cup debutant Alize Cornet, 18, and Peng beat Razzano in a hard-fought three-setter.