Li Na has backed Flavia Pennetta’s decision to bid adieu to Tennis straight after clinching the crown at Flushing Meadows. In the views of the Chinese veteran, an athlete should always make the exit while being at the peak.
Li herself also retired at a time when nobody was expecting her to do so.
The 33 year-old reckons it’s not easy to continue being a professional player when you get into your thirties. You have to stay away from your family and it takes toll on you eventually.
Speaking to a website, Li, who is now a mommy to a beautiful little girl, said, “Tennis is something which holds huge importance in the lives of us players, but, it can’t be your whole life. You have an actual life beyond it, you have your family and friends and at a certain stage, you feel as if it’s getting a little difficult to keep on touring and then, you move on.”
“I can hundred percent understand what must have been going through Flavia’s mind. We two are almost of same ages. I even had a chat with her recently in Singapore and she did not look regretful at all at the decision that she made.”
Pennetta’s fans, however, might see her on the court again quite soon as the Italy native has dropped hints that she would find it hard to resist the temptation of representing her country in the Olympic Games which are going to be held in 2016 in the Brazilian Capital city, Rio De Janeiro.
Pennetta had been eliminated from the third round in the previous Olympics in London. She was beaten by Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic. She would be looking to go further than that this time around if she decides to make a short return.