Shova Shrestha
Kumaripati, June 5
Li Na made sporting history at the French Open on Saturday when she became the first player from China to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The 29 yrs old seventh seed won 6-4 7-6 (7-0) to claim her first major title, after falling short in the Australian Open final earlier this year . And after doubles wins at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, China can now celebrate an indivisual joining the game's elite.
Dominant on serve and consistently threatening from the baseline, Li overcame a late wobble to take away Schiavine's title in one hour and 48 minutes.
"It's a dream come true," said Li,"because China never had a Grand Slam Champion, so that's why so many players in China are working so hard. The dream is you can be the top player or win the Grand Slam."
Li's ranking is set to rise to a career-high four next week, something that seened a lay way off when she took a break from the sport between 2002 and 2004 to study journalism.
During her time away she got married to Jiang Shan, who becane her coach, and on her run to the Australian Open final in January Li won lots of fans with her on-court interviews, in which she regularly teased Jiang.
Li had lost to Kim Clijsters in the final set in Melbourne, and Schiavone's best hope appeared to be an attack of nerves from the sixth seed if she could prolong the contest.
"She played a really high level through one set and 2-1, 3-1, she was playing really well,"said Schiavone. "I think at the end eve were really close and it could be the set for one or for her. But at the end, she won. I think she deserved this final."
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