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Li Video Score: / five

NA INSPIRES

Li Na has said that she is glad that her success in tennis has inspired the young girls in China to be a professional tennis player.

China hasn’t produced too many great tennis players over the years and that’s why, the young kids in China were not that much attracted towards this sport in the past. But, Li Na’s success in professional circuit has changed that scenario completely. Now, the Chinese kids especially girls want to make their careers in tennis.

When asked about that, Li Na said, “It’s really great to see the young girls from China being attracted towards tennis. It wasn’t the same in the past. People didn’t have this sort of interest in tennis earlier. Very few people used to watch this sport. But, the popularity has increased in the recent years.”

“I really feel proud that my success has motivated the kids to try and become a professional tennis player.”

“When I was a kid, I didn’t have any idea what was going on in tennis all over the world. My aim was just to become the champion at national level. The facilities were very poor at that time.”

“Now, things have changed. Quite a few coaching centres and academies have been opened.”

When asked about the tennis talent in China, Li said, “We have a lot of talented players at the junior level. I got the chance to meet a few of them a couple of months back and they are really full of talent. They are being groomed well under world class coaches and hopefully, they will start turning it on in professional circuit in a few years.”

Recently, Li has been included in the list of top 100 influential persons in the world by the Time magazine. The magazine also has Li’s photo on cover page. When asked about that, Li said, “It’s so nice of them that they included me in that list. It’s really an honour. I want to thank them for that.”

Na Li vs Varvara Lepchenko WTA Miami 2013 Sony Open Tennis 2013 1 Set 1R

Li Movie Score: / 5

THIRD ROUND

Li Na has defeated Kiki Bertens of Holland in the second round of the Sony Open. Li won the match in the straight sets by 6-3, 6-1.

This was Li’s first match after losing the final match of the Australian Open against Victoria Azarenka.

After the match, Li said, “I just tried to stick to the basics and that worked. This was my first match in the last one and half months. It was nice to secure a straight set win in my comeback match.”

“I was overwhelmed to see so many fans turning up to cheer for me. Their support certainly helped me.”

When asked about the condition of her ankle which she had injured in the Australian Open final, Li said, “It’s alright now. I haven’t felt pain since the last two weeks and it is also not obstructing me from moving fluently.”

Li had made a great start to the ongoing season by winning the Shenzhen Open in front of her home crowd. She had defeated Klara Zakopalova of Czech Republic in the final of that event. That was the 7^th WTA title won by her.

Her performance was fine in the Apia International Sydney tennis tournament as well. She cruised into the final 4 of that tournament where she had to face the no. 4 player in the world Agnieszka Radwanska. She couldn’t get better of the Polish superstar and missed the opportunity of starting the season with two consecutive title victories.

She went one step further in the Australian Open and reached the finals there, but, again, she couldn’t hold her nerve in the big match and lost the final.

Li has played 17 matches in the season so far. She has won 15 out of them and has lost only two.

NA PULLS OUT

Li Na will not be able to play in an exhibition match against Caroline Wozniacki at Hong Kong because of the ankle injury that she had discovered while playing in the final match of the Australian Open earlier this year. Now, on Li Na’s place, Agnieszka Radwanska will compete with Wozniacki in that match.

Li Na is a superstar in Asia. She is very popular in all the Asian countries and the people of Hong Kong were eagerly waiting for this exhibition match. They would have been hugely disappointed after hearing that Li would not participate in that match. Read more »

Full Match Novak DJOKOVIC vs Michael BERRER China Open 2012 1st Round

Li Video clip Rating: five / 5