LI NA LEAVE THE TENNIS: RETIRING THE CHINESE player STRONGER THAN EVER

All rise for Li Na. The Chinese tennis star, has announced his retirement due to repeated knee injuries, he received a touching tribute on the center court of the China Open: hugs from his former competitors applause from the home fans and a bunch of flowers she has received from Rafael Nadal. The Chinese tennis player has held back her tears thanking Petra Kvitova, stating that the Czech has always been his source of inspiration. The President of the WTA tour Stacey Allaster called it: “The player of this decade that had the most impact on women’s tennis.”

“I am no longer able to play the first levels. I took the necessary decision: to leave the competition,” wrote the 32-year old tennis player on the web. Since March I hurt my knee and are no longer able to play at the highest level. “The player said he would now devote himself to his family and to the dissemination of tennis in China and abroad. The WTA has described the Li as a pioneer: it was the first Asian player to win a major title, the Roland Garros in 2011, a few months after becoming the first Chinese to reach a Grand Slam final, the Australian Open in 2011 Among the other records the Li was the first Chinese player to win a WTA title, first to enter the top 20 of the rankings.