Li became the first Asian player, man or woman, to win a
Li became the first Asian player, man or woman, to win a Grand Slam singles title by beating defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4, 7-6 (0) at Roland Garros on yesterday.
“China tennis — we’re getting bigger and bigger,” said Li, who is projected to rise to a career-best No. 4 in Monday’s rankings.
She already was the first woman from that nation of more than 1 billion people to win a WTA singles title, the first to reach the top 10 in the rankings, and the first to make it to a Grand Slam final — she lost to Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open in January.
Thinking back to that defeat, Li said: “I had no experience. I was very nervous. For my second time in a final, I had the experience. I knew how to do it. And I had more self-confidence.”
Tennis is considered an elite sport in China, and while participation is rapidly increasing, it still trails basketball, soccer and table tennis, among others. But Li’s victory was big news back home, where the match finished shortly after 11 p.m. local time on a holiday weekend.
Li broke away from the Chinese government’s sports system in late 2008 under an experimental reform policy for tennis players dubbed “Fly Alone.” Li was given the freedom to choose her own coach and schedule and to keep much more of her earnings: Previously, she turned over 65 percent to the authorities; now it’s 12 percent. That comes to about $205,000 of the $1.7 million French Open winner’s check.
Listen to video carefully. There is a new language on the court….Mandarin!
Picture by REUTERS/Charles Platiau
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