Li Na Makes (Tennis) History by Winning French Open Title
Li Na, of China, defeated defending champion, Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-6 (0) to win the 2011 French Open Women’s Singles title Saturday in Paris. It was the first singles Grand Slam title for a Chinese or Asian woman. With the French Open victory, Li should move to
fourth in the rankings, which equals the highest ranking ever for an Asian woman which Kimiko Date-Krumm from Japan achieved in her “first career”. Li has had the talent and potential for years, but she often got tight in the key moments. Today, she said she reminded herself before the tie-breaker what her new coach, Michael Mortensen, had told her, “Trust yourself and believe in yourself”. Li’s coach and husband were also wearing specially-designed Nike t-shirts with the slogan “Be yourself” on them.
This monumental victory for Li Na was much more than a personal milestone in her career, but it will most likely launch a wave of future Chinese tennis stars. Li’s semifinal victory was supposedly watched by 14 million Chinese and the finals by up to 50 million people in China. These are staggering figures compared to American and European TV audiences for tennis matches. Clearly, Li is now a huge star in her home country. At the age of twenty-nine, Li has achieved her greatest victory and certainly this win could catapult her higher if she can stay healthy and motivated. Regardless, China is now poised to be both a new tennis power and a land of tremendous opportunity for women’s professional tennis.
This monumental victory for Li Na was much more than a personal milestone in her career, but it will most likely launch a wave of future Chinese tennis stars. Li’s semifinal victory was supposedly watched by 14 million Chinese and the finals by up to 50 million people in China. These are staggering figures compared to American and European TV audiences for tennis matches. Clearly, Li is now a huge star in her home country. At the age of twenty-nine, Li has achieved her greatest victory and certainly this win could catapult her higher if she can stay healthy and motivated. Regardless, China is now poised to be both a new tennis power and a land of tremendous opportunity for women’s professional tennis.
|
