Olympic champions Li Ting and Sun Tiantian are to be split up in a bid to ensure China have the best possible tennis pairings for the Beijing Games.

"They are temporarily divided because they've been out of form in the past two years," Chinese Tennis Association chief Sun Jinfang told the CTA web site.

Li Na, Peng Shuai, Li Ting, Sun Tiantian as well as youngsters Sun Shengnan and Ji Chunmei will be tried out in different partnerships at WTA tournaments over the next six months to decide two Olympic pairings, the web site said.

The third pairing of Zheng Jie and Yan Zi, winners of the Australian Open and Wimbledon doubles titles last year, will be left undisturbed.

Li Ting had been thinking of retiring after winning a bronze medal at the Doha Asian Games last month but the CTA asked her to finish the preparatory period for Beijing Olympics, Sun Jinfang added.

"Our adjustment is to ensure we qualify for the Olympics and occupy good positions in the draw," she concluded.