Li Na’s French Open win opened the door for Chinese and Asian tennis
- The Wuhan native’s victory over Francesca Schiavone in Paris in 2011 was first singles grand slam for an Asian tennis player
- Former world No 2, who would win Australian Open in 2014 before retiring, handed 2019 trophy to Naomi Osaka
“I was, like, ‘Please, double-fault. That way I can win the match,’” Li Na said after the semi-final of the 2011 French Open. Her opponent Maria Sharapova did just that and 29-year-old Li was into the final in Paris where she would face the holder Francesca Schiavone.
It was indicative of the honesty that Li exhibited on and off court. She always spoke out and did her things her way, possibly a nod to Wuhan’s punk sensibility – her hometown is the capital of China’s punk music scene.
Li had been allowed to go it alone under the “Flying Solo” programme in 2008. She would no longer have to play for and pay the state sports system, who had until then taken 65 per cent of her winnings. The new arrangement allowed for Li to pay just 8 per cent of her earnings.
She quickly spread her wings. In 2009 she finished inside the world top 20. In 2010 she breached the top 10 and in January 2011 at the Australian Open Li came back from match point down to world No 1 and top seed Caroline Wozniacki to reach her first grand slam final.
Li faced No 3 seed Kim Clijsters at Melbourne Park and took the first set before the Belgian came back to leave the dream of a Chinese grand slam winner still a dream.
At the next slam in Paris, Li showed the same spirit – and a little luck – to edge past Sharapova in the semis, 6-4, 7-5. She had also edged a tiebreak in the quarters in the first set against fourth seed Victoria Azarenka before winning the second 6-2.
