China’s Na Li couldn’t have started her comeback in a better way. The 25-year-old won the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 triumph over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
Li was sidelined by serious rib injury for six months, but she has returned to the winner’s circle with fierce determination and big strength. Read more »
Na Li is playing her first tournament since late June in Birmingham, and her marvelous comeback continues. The Chinese woman advanced to the final of the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland.
Earlier in this Tier III tournament, Li saw off seventh-seeded Sybille Bammer, as well as top-seeded Nicole Vaidisova.
The 25-year-old Li, currently ranked 29th in the world, declared she aims to return to the very top: "I want to be in the top 10. I feel stronger mentally. A new Li Na has come back. I feel fresh."
In the final, Na Li will play Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who beat fifth-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals. (source: CBS Sports, photo via: WTA World)
Seems Na Li’s tough period is over. After a terribly long injury lay off, China’s best-ranked tennis player made a huge success. At the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts, her first tournament since the serious rib injury, she sent home top-seeded Nicole Vaidisova with a 6-3, 6-3 victory and reached the semifinals. Not to mention she had earlier disposed of seventh-seeded Sybille Bammer.
Nicole Vaidisova was not the only big-name player to fall on Thursday. Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo and defending champion Dinara Safina were also defeated. Mauresmo was beaten by fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder, with the Swiss winning 6-4, 6-4 after leading 5-0 in the first set, while Shahar Peer beat Dinara Safina 46 61 76(8).
Semifinal matches: Na Li vs. Patty Schnyder, Shahar Peer vs. Victoria Azarenka. (photo via Getty Images)
China’s top-ranked singles player Na Li has been sidelined by a serious rib injury during a considerable part of the 2007 season, but the day has come that Na Li proclaims coming back to the sport. Finally!
Na Li, who hasn’t played tennis since the DFS Classic tournament in June, will play the Australian Women's Hardcourts tournament and the Australian Open as she sets her sights on Olympic glory.
"I can't tell you how much I missed tennis when I was out," said the 25-year-old, who has dropped 13 places to 29th in the rankings because of the injury. Read more »
Chinese number one Na Li will miss this month's China Open because of a right rib injury which has been bothering her since June. Everything started at the DFS Classic, a tournament in Birmingham, when Na Li couldn’t stop coughing because of her pollen allergy. Since then, we haven’t seen her on court at all.
Another Chinese player will miss China Open. World No.129 Jie Zheng, Wimbledon 2006 doubles champion, won’t play in Beijing because of an ankle injury.
These persistent injuries prevented Na Li and Jie Zheng from taking part in both Wimbledon and US Open, and there is little hope that they will recover soon.
"It is very bad news," Chinese Tennis Association (CTA) vice president Gao Shenyang told China Daily.
"Their rehabilitation is slower than we expected, I am not sure when they will be back." (via Reuters)
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