adminBEIJING — A teary-eyed Li Na said on Sunday she has no regrets about her retirement and the Chinese trailblazer was confident her country will produce more Grand Slam winners in future. Two days after announcing the end of her momentous tennis career in an open letter to friends and fans, the 32-year-old Li — Asia’s only Grand Slam singles champion, entered her farewell news conference with the appearance of somebody who had been crying.
It didn’t take long for the two-time Grand Slam champion to shed tears, again, as she explained her decision to retire in the wake of a fourth knee operation.
“I’m very happy with my whole career and feel very proud. Now is the perfect time to walk away. I don’t have any regrets,” Li told reporters.
“After I made the decision I asked myself several times, ‘will I regret it in the future?’ But another voice told me, ‘no’, and I tried my best on court, so I won’t regret it.”
Li, known affectionately as “Big Sister Na” and “Golden Flower” in China, skipped this year’s US Open, triggering speculation her dazzling career was drawing to a close.
For many youngsters in China, she is a role model, with her steely determination, broad smile and English language skills emblematic of a confident and rising country.
Li said tennis in China has undergone vast change since she started and predicted more grand slam champions from her country.
“I’ve always watched the development of Chinese tennis closely. The young girls now have chances to come into contact with the world’s top players face to face, and have a bright future,” she said. “In terms of successors, there’s no comparison, everyone has their own features. I believe they’ll work hard for their dreams. Keep an eye out — they’ll be coming. Maybe even better than me.” — Online
Online Reporter