Defending Champion Li Can’t Get Practice Time on Center Court

Written by: Staff on 29th May 2012

Defending Champion Li Can’t Get Practice Time on Center Court |

Late-arriving champion Li Na found herself unable to train on the showcourt where she made her name in tennis a year ago by wining the French Open. China’s shining star said that for her first few days at Roland Garros, there was no court time available at the main Philipe Chatrier Court as it had all been fully filled by other elite players.

“All the time was booked already,” said the 30-year-old who made history a year ago when she won the title. “I had to hit on Suzanne Lenglen. It’s always nice coming back to a tournament where you have won.”

Li takes the seventh seeding at this edition, starting in the first round against Sorana Cirstea of Romania. She is making sure not to put undue pressure on herself coming into the biggest title defence of her career.

“I don’t think if you win the tournament one year, you have to win again,” said last week’s Rome finalist against Maria Sharapova, the Paris second seed behind Victoria Azarenka. “Right now everyone is working so hard, everyone is fighting like crazy on the court. I have to take it round by round.”

Topics: Li Na, Roland Garros