Grand Slam first final for a Chinese tennis player
Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Li Na has made sporting history in China; the 28-year old native of Wuhan, a city of nine million people in Hubei (central China), has reached the final of the Australian Open by beating world number one Caroline Wozniacki. Li is the first Asian player to reach the final in one of the four Grand Slam tournaments; a success celebrated by Chinese media and bloggers, ahead of the final match on Saturday with Belgian Kim Clijsters.
This morning on Laver Road Court, Melbourne, Li Na defeated for 2 sets to 1 (3-6, 7-5, 6-3) Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki. The match lasted 2 hours and 35 minutes, during which the Chinese tennis player had to break a match-point for her opponent. Few had predicted her victory, although she had already reached the semi-final of the 2010 Australian Open, and the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open and Wimbledon last year.
At the end of the match Li pointed out that the result was positive “for me, my team and probably it will do a lot for Chinese tennis," but she added that she was "not completely sure" about that. The victory could in fact help to increase the popularity of the sport in China, and she added with satisfaction: "I will always be the first" to have reached a Grand Slam final.
Joking with reporters, the 28-year old said that the strength and determination comes from the "ultimate prize" of the event. She also revealed to be stronger than the insomnia from which she suffers, caused by continuous snoring of her husband-coach Jiang Shan.
Meanwhile at home newspapers and bloggers are celebrating the success of Li Na. "It's a miracle," said a sports commentator on the popular website qq.com, which "will open a new page for Chinese tennis." The state television, China Central Television has devoted ample space to the match won by the young woman, whom a blogger called the "pride of Chinese people."
.png)
