LI NA MAYBE SAYING SHE IS RETIRING / STAY TUNED

Written by: Staff on 18th September 2014

LI NA MAYBE SAYING SHE IS RETIRING / STAY TUNED

epa04405930 (FILE) A file picture dated 25 January 2014 of Chinese tennis player Li Na holding her trophy after winning the women's final match against Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia. Two-time Grand Slam-winner Li Na is set to announce her retirement, Chinese state television reported on 18 September 2014. Li Na won nine WTA singles titles including the 2011 French Open and the 2014 Australian Open. The 32-year-old was the first player from Asia to win a major singles title. EPA/MADE NAGI |

WE ARE HOPING THIS ISN’T ACCURATE / She is a great CHAMPION !

Women’s tennis is bracing itself for the news that reigning Australian Open champion Li Na, China’s most prominent sportswoman and a major force in opening up Asia as the most growing region in tennis, will announce her retirement within the next 24 hours.

CCTV-5, the sports channel of state broadcaster China Central Television, quoted unnamed insiders as saying the 32 year-old, would announce her retirement because of injuries on Friday Chinese time.

“According to insiders, Li Na will officially announce her retirement on September 19,” CCTV-5 said. “She is reportedly retiring because she is unable to continue competing due to her physical condition.

The CCTV-5’s report followed a declaration on web portal SINA Sports, also quoting unnamed sources, saying IMG (Li’s management company) would hold a briefing on Friday to announce the players retirement.

As yet there has been no confirmation or denial from IMG but the player who has spent much of 2014 as the worlds second ranked player and currently stands in sixth position on the WTA world rankings, has been forced off the tour with knee problems since losing in Wimbledon’s third round. Then in July, Li split from her coach Carlos Rodriguez.

There were hopes Li would be fit enough to return to competition in her home city at next weeks inaugural Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open but these appear now to have disappeared.

Optimism remains that world no.1 Serena Williams, Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and Maria Sharapova will all contest the Wuhan event.

Topics: Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Retirement, Serena Williams, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

September 18, 2014 at 10:24 am

LI NA MAYBE SAYING SHE IS #RETIRING / STAY TUNED- http://t.co/7iJTfdLtkD #tennis #AustralianOpenChamp #LiNa #NaLi #staytuned