Li Na To Get Ranked #2 on WTA Tour

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 10th February 2014

Li Na To Get Ranked #2 on WTA Tour

epa04040644 Li Na of China in action during her match against Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in the women's final of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on 25 January 2014. EPA/MARK DADSWELL AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Li Na is set to become the world’s no.2 ranked female tennis player in just seven days’ time as the Australian Open champion bids to capitalize on the enforced withdrawals of Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka from this week’s Qatar Total Open in Doha.

By virtue of the fact an inflamed foot will prevent Azarenka from defending her champion’s points from last year and Li’s absence from the event last year, the soon to be 32 year-old will almost certainly attain a career high ranking when the WTA’s computer clicks into action to release the new rankings in a week’s time.

Azarenka will lose all the 900 ranking points she gained after beating Williams in last year’s final and that Li needs a mere nine points to climb above the Belorussian. Williams has cited an injured back for her absence.

This week will see Li back on a competitive court for the first time since her victory over Dominika Cibulkova in the Australian final two and a half weeks ago. In the interim she has been back home in Wuhan celebrating the Chinese New Year and it remains to be seen how she rebounds from such a momentous victory.

Li insists experience will mean she is better prepared for dealing with a Grand Slam aftermath this time than after winning the French Open in 2011. “I really wasn’t prepared for that,” she maintained. “Now it’s different because I really prepared to win this Grand Slam.

“This time I was thinking about if I win or if I lose, what kind of life I will have, so for sure it’s different than last time.”

The influence of coach Carlos Rodriguez, added to the Li team in 2012 will be crucial in that aspect. “We have talked about what we should do next, of course,” she added. “Carlos has a lot of experience in this kind of situation because before me he was coaching Justine Henin.”

Topics: 10sballs, Dominika Cibulkova, Li Na, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta