Chinese star wanted to retire after tough new training regime
Source: AFP |
January 23, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
LI Na's superior strength and fitness told as she reached the Australian Open semifinals yesterday after a preseason training regime that was so tough, she considered quitting.
Li reached her first grand slam semifinal since winning the 2011 French Open with a 7-5, 6-3 win against Agnieszka Radwanska, the world No. 4 who had been unbeaten this year.
Li was formerly coached by her husband, Jiang Shan, but Carlos Rodriguez, Justine Henin's former handler, took the reins last year.
But Li, 30, said she was so exhausted after three days of offseason training in December that she told Jiang her career could be over.
"We train every day for five, six hours, but not only playing tennis," Li, the sixth seed, said. "Tennis was like maybe two, three hours. Fitness was for two or three hours as well.
"First time I was training with him, I was so excited, but after three days, I was dying. My husband didn't come with me to Beijing. After three days I was really tired. I called my husband and said, 'I really want to retire'. It was only three days. How could I continue for three weeks or all the year?"
However, the work has paid off with Li just one match away from her third grand slam final.
Li reached her first grand slam semifinal since winning the 2011 French Open with a 7-5, 6-3 win against Agnieszka Radwanska, the world No. 4 who had been unbeaten this year.
Li was formerly coached by her husband, Jiang Shan, but Carlos Rodriguez, Justine Henin's former handler, took the reins last year.
But Li, 30, said she was so exhausted after three days of offseason training in December that she told Jiang her career could be over.
"We train every day for five, six hours, but not only playing tennis," Li, the sixth seed, said. "Tennis was like maybe two, three hours. Fitness was for two or three hours as well.
"First time I was training with him, I was so excited, but after three days, I was dying. My husband didn't come with me to Beijing. After three days I was really tired. I called my husband and said, 'I really want to retire'. It was only three days. How could I continue for three weeks or all the year?"
However, the work has paid off with Li just one match away from her third grand slam final.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
