介绍:
China's first and only Grand Slam winner Li Na formally announced her retirement on Friday, leaving Chinese tennis fans yearning for their next superstar.
Li made the announcement on her Weibo, posted a farewell letter to express her gratitude to her teammates, family, coaches, and most of all, her fans not only in China but around the world.
Li Na was born in 1982 in Wuhan and started to play tennis at the tender age of six.
During her 15-year professional career, one that has taken her around the world, she played matches on the WTA tour, for China's Fed Cup team, at the National Games, and several Olympic Games.
1999 marked the beginning of her professional career. Just Five years later, Li won her first WTA title at Guangzhou and made top 100 debut.
By 2011, Li Na had built a larger than life career. She was the first Asian to be a Gland Slam finalist at the Australian Open, the first Asian to win a Gland Slam title at French Open; Na broke more than just records in her sport, she broke new ground.
At the 2014 Australian Open, Li won her second Gland Slam title. She was also runner-up at the WTA in February.
The Australian Open had a special significance for Na: every year it marked her wedding anniversary. Her husband, Jiang Shan, was her mixed doubles partner before 2001 and her coach twice over her career, has been by Na's side continuously for 20 years.
Li Na left an indelible mark on her sport not only for her talents but also for her sportsmanship, for the drive and passion that she brought to the court.
Off the court, Na was no less remarkable: known widely as a person of integrity, character, and with a palpable sense of humor throughout the highs and lows of her career.
For two decades, Na has embodied the endearing and unbreakable spirit of China, won the respect and admiration of the world, and inspired a new generation to strive for excellence in her sport.
We may never be able to measure that contribution in concrete terms. It will bare itself out over time, with each new young person who wakes up on a Saturday morning, picks up a tennis racket, and takes that same first step onto the court that Li Na took in 1988.
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