RHODE ISLAND, United States, July 21 -- Chinese retired tennis great Li Na, two-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 2, has cemented her reputation as a trailblazer in the game by becoming the first person from Asia to be enshrined into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF).
Li, 37, said at the ceremony of the induction here on Saturday night that it is a great mark for her professional career, inspiring her to continue making contributions to the game, helping the young in particular.
As a prolific history maker, Li was the first Asian tennis player competing in a Grand Slam singles final (Australian Open 2011), claiming a Grand Slam singles title (French Open 2011), winning two Grand Slam singles (French Open 2011 and Australian Open 2017), and reaching No. 2 in the WTA ranking (February 2017).
At her first peak in the 2011 French Open, Li eliminated four top-10 opponents along her way to her crown. She also collected seven WTA tour singles titles, finished runner-up in Australian Open twice, and entered quarterfinals at Wimbledon three times and the semifinals at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2013 US Open.
Li retired in 2017 at the age of 32 due to recurring knee injuries, eight months after winning that year's Australian Open and rising to her career-high No. 2 in the WTA ranking.
Recalling her sporting life starting from the age of 8, Li, a mother of two children, expressed her heartfelt thanks to all the people who had helped her. At the ceremony, Li also spoke in Chinese "thank you very much" to all her fans in China.
Li's on-court achievements, along with her engaging personality, helped spur interest in tennis at home in China.
The ITHF's introduction of Li emphasized two facts: the 116 million viewers of the French Open women's singles final in 2011, and the number of tennis fans in China rising from about 2 millions to more than 20 millions alongside Li's rising.
"I love seeing the sport grow in China," Li said, "and I'm proud to be part of that history."
At a pre-ceremony briefing, Li talked about the sport's future development in China, saying, "keep going, and I expects to see the emergence of a new Grand Slam singles champion in 5 to 10 years."
Talking about the same topic two days ago in New York City where Li was hosting a tennis clinic for dozens of American children, she said, "there is no big gap among the players. No one can assure a win before a match. Every Chinese player in the top 100 has her own strong points, her own way of thinking and her own supporting team. They will succeed in the future if they find the proper way for their development and stick to it."
On Saturday night at the LTHF, Li was joined by French tennis great Mary Pierce and Russian legend Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the hall's Class of 2019. All the three won a pair of Grand Slam titles - one at Melbourne Park and the other at Roland Garros.
Established in 1954, the ITHF is a non-profit institution that preserves and promotes the history of tennis and celebrates its champions, thereby serving as a vital partner in the growth of tennis globally. It is located in Newport, Rhode Island, USA, on a seven-acre property that features an extensive museum that showcases the history and honor of the sport.
体坛英语资讯:Shaanxi just a foot away from Chinese second division league
体坛英语资讯:Gaston ends French Olympic tennis medal drought in Buenos Aires
谢谢你,自作主张的妈妈
体坛英语资讯:Morocco edge Comoros 1-0 in Africa Cup of Nations qualifier
默克尔宣布放弃连任 2021年将卸任总理
国内英语资讯:China will adhere to opening-up, multilateralism: Premier
体坛英语资讯:Djokovoic storms to fourth Shanghai Masters title
幸福来自你的内心,无需他求
国内英语资讯:Spotlight: Heads of intl organizations laud Chinas continuous commitment to opening up,
体坛英语资讯:Wang Jianjiahe grabs second gold in 200m freestyle
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier meets World Bank president
体坛英语资讯:Spain look to continue winning run as England visit Seville
国内英语资讯:China, Dominican Republic pledge to promote common development
体坛英语资讯:Georgia stay alive in Youth Olympics boys basketball after early mishap
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier stresses environmental protection
国际英语资讯:German ruling bloc seeks unifying figure as next CDU party head: report
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Turkey, U.S. simultaneously remove sanctions imposed on ministers
西班牙首家女性酒店明年开业 迎合“仅限女性”潮流
体坛英语资讯:Greece beat Hungary 1-0 at UEFA Nations League
学会这10个简单的事情,你就能赶走焦虑
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice president advocates common development at New Economy?Forum
国际英语资讯:Interview: Egypt seeks to learn from Chinas expertise in sports economy, Olympics organiza
国内英语资讯:Canton Fair concludes with more new buyers from B&R countries
全球超九成儿童呼吸有毒空气 可阻碍大脑发育
有病就来美术馆!加拿大将允许医生开“艺术处方”
体坛英语资讯:Japan aiming to topple European rivals in Youth Olympics futsal
体坛英语资讯:Croatia tie England 0-0 in UEFA Nations League
国际英语资讯:Lebanon makes no progress towards ending government formation crisis
回忆是永恒的珍宝
国内英语资讯:Xi hosts banquet for guests attending CIIE
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |