Li Na, a winner on and off court
Top athletes are known for their monumental will to achieve. They endure years of training and suffering - and sometimes injuries - to reach summits that rivals can only look upon with sighs of despair.
Top athletes are known for their monumental will to achieve. They endure years of training and suffering - and sometimes injuries - to reach summits that rivals can only look upon with sighs of despair. Perseverance and determination aside, there is a limit to how far one can go. When a world-class champion is forced to bow out of the sport because of severe injuries, the pain is more than physical.
Li Na must have struggled a lot before deciding to end her professional tennis career. Confirming her retirement in a microblog yesterday, the two-time grand slam-winner blamed her long-time knee injuries. Having gone through four operations and numerous injections, the 32-year-old said her body prevented her from staying in a sport that is far too competitive for those who are not in peak condition. For someone who just eight months ago was ranked the world's No 2, the decision must have been difficult.
Like NBA basketball star Yao Ming, Li established herself in what is primarily a game for Westerners. In 2004, she became the first Chinese player to win a Women's Tennis Association title. She made history after breaking away from the stifling state training system and won the 2011 French Open - the first Asian to lift a grand slam singles title. At home, she has made tennis popular with millions of players. Overseas, she proved that there is future for standalone Chinese athletes, and perhaps inspired the way to reform China's sports regime.
One of the few familiar Chinese faces in the world, the Wuhan-born star ranks high in the league of sporting icons who have helped to improve the country's international image. Her charisma and humour make her stand out from other stern-faced Chinese athletes, and strike a chord with many counterparts in the West who move their fans with more than just outstanding performances. Her unique style made her China's de facto ambassador abroad, and helped the nation and Asia to gain the recognition they deserve. Her retirement is as much a loss to the nation as to world tennis.