Li Na
Li Na (born 26 February 1982) is a Chinese former professional tennis player. She achieved a career-high WTA ranking of world No. 2 on 17 February 2014. Over the course of her career, Li won nine WTA Tour singles titles including two Grand Slam singles titles at the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open. Those victories made her the first Grand Slam singles champion from Asia, male or female. She also became the first player representing an Asian country to appear in a Grand Slam singles final, finishing as the runner-up at the 2011 Australian Open. Li was also the runner-up at the 2013 Australian Open and 2013 WTA Tour Championships, a three-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon and a semifinalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2013 US Open. Among her other most notable achievements, she was the first Chinese player to win a WTA tour title at the Guangzhou International Women's Open in 2004, the first to reach a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships, and the first to break into the world's top ten.
Li at the 2015 Australian Open | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country (sports) | China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Residence | Wuhan, Hubei, China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 February 1982 Wuhan, Hubei, China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | April 2002–May 2004; 19 September 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Huazhong University of Science and Technology (B.A.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coach | Jiang Shan (2006–2012) Thomas Högstedt (2009–2010) Michael Mortensen (2011) Carlos Rodríguez (2012–2014) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prize money | $16,709,074 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2019 (member page) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Singles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 503–188 (72.8%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 2 (17 February 2014) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam singles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | W (2014) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Open | W (2011) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | QF (2006, 2010, 2013) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Open | SF (2013) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tour Finals | F (2013) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | SF – 4th (2008) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 121–50 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 54 (28 August 2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Slam doubles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | 2R (2006, 2007) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| French Open | 2R (2006, 2007) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | 2R (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Open | 3R (2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other doubles tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | 2R (2012) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Li Na | |||||||||||
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| Chinese | 李娜 | ||||||||||
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By 2013, Li's accomplishments had made her the most successful Asian tennis player in history and it landed her on Time magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People in the World as just one of only four athletes to be named that year. Former world No. 1 Chris Evert wrote: "Tennis has exploded in China. The country now has some 15 million tennis players; 116 million watched Li win the French Open. That kind of exposure is crucial to our sport, and it never would have happened without Li."
Li retired from professional tennis on 19 September 2014, at the age of 32. In 2019, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.