Li promises to enjoy final after seeing off Sharapova
Source: AFP |
January 25, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LI Na has pledged simply to enjoy her tennis after earning a second shot at the Australian Open title, two years after being outgunned by Kim Clijsters.
The Chinese world No. 6 said she did not feel the pressure of 2011, when she reached her first grand slam final in Melbourne and raised expectations back home.
And after doing the hard work in training, Li, who stunned Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals yesterday, said she had nothing to worry about tomorrow's final, when she will face defending champion Victoria Azarenka.
"Right now, what should I worry about? I worked so hard in winter training. I think now everything is just down to me," said Li.
"So I go to the court, pick up my racket, enjoy the tennis."
Li, 30, has been a revelation under her new coach Carlos Rodriguez, former handler of seven-time major-winner Justine Henin, and she has already taken one title this year, in Shenzhen.
In Melbourne, the former French Open champion has ousted four seeds on the way to the final including world No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, who was on a 13-match unbeaten run.
Yesterday, she dominated Sharapova, the Russian second seed who had dropped only nine games en route to the semifinal, setting a new tournament record. Li admitted the victory was almost the perfect match.
"After playing for 20 years, this is the first time in my life," she said. "I don't know what happened today. I just came to the court, feeling like, 'OK, just do it'. Yeah."
Li lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the 2011 final, but then went on to become Asia's first grand slam singles champion at that year's French Open. She said she did not realize how much she wanted the Australian title until she lost.
"I was really hungry for the title, yeah. It's really the first time I felt I was really near or close to the title," she said.
"So, yeah, I think this time should be, I don't know, maybe a different story or maybe same story. But I will try."
The Chinese world No. 6 said she did not feel the pressure of 2011, when she reached her first grand slam final in Melbourne and raised expectations back home.
And after doing the hard work in training, Li, who stunned Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals yesterday, said she had nothing to worry about tomorrow's final, when she will face defending champion Victoria Azarenka.
"Right now, what should I worry about? I worked so hard in winter training. I think now everything is just down to me," said Li.
"So I go to the court, pick up my racket, enjoy the tennis."
Li, 30, has been a revelation under her new coach Carlos Rodriguez, former handler of seven-time major-winner Justine Henin, and she has already taken one title this year, in Shenzhen.
In Melbourne, the former French Open champion has ousted four seeds on the way to the final including world No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, who was on a 13-match unbeaten run.
Yesterday, she dominated Sharapova, the Russian second seed who had dropped only nine games en route to the semifinal, setting a new tournament record. Li admitted the victory was almost the perfect match.
"After playing for 20 years, this is the first time in my life," she said. "I don't know what happened today. I just came to the court, feeling like, 'OK, just do it'. Yeah."
Li lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the 2011 final, but then went on to become Asia's first grand slam singles champion at that year's French Open. She said she did not realize how much she wanted the Australian title until she lost.
"I was really hungry for the title, yeah. It's really the first time I felt I was really near or close to the title," she said.
"So, yeah, I think this time should be, I don't know, maybe a different story or maybe same story. But I will try."
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