Li Na Retires!

[Correspondent Kiu]

It's all over the news, although Hoergren announced it about a day ago.

...

UNCONFIRMED

Li Na will announce her retirement tomorrow

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2977&pid=136696#pid136696

Now, it's all over the news, our front page too:
http://www.tennisfrontier.com/news/wta-tennis/li-na-to-announce-retirement-according-to-reports/


here is the twitter feed:
https://twitter.com/cctvnews/status/512514088866705408/photo/1

CC TV is one of China's news agencies, specializing in broadcasting news abroad.

New York Times reported it 9 hours ago:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/sports/tennis/chinas-li-na-set-to-retire-from-tennis.html?_r=0

This is as shocking as Bartoli's sudden departure last year. May be just a little less.

 

[tented]

This is terrible news. I'll miss her a lot. Hopefully she'll get better, and return in a year or two.

 

[10isfan]

All the best to her. I doubt she will come back. She will want to have children. What Kim did is an anomaly.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This news didnt surprise me in the least sad to say.Li Na had talked about retirement last year.
I honestly feel this year her knee problems got worse,also the fact that she and Carlos had split up,her age also a factor when she weighed all this up.

I am also happy she finally won the Australian Open,her favourite Slam.

I was fortunate to see Li Na play live,Rome tournament and at Roland Garos.I appreciated her game.

I also loved her dry sense of humour,also the digs she made towards her husband Dennis over the years,she made me laugh so many times.

I wish her well in the future and I hope she finds happiness in whatever path she takes.

 

[Moxie]

Well, she has come back before, but I won't be holding my breath. I'm so sorry to hear this. Obviously, the 2 Majors is the legacy, along with the highest ranked Asian player ever to date, but, rather like when Santoro retired, the tour just lost a really unique personality.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

This news didnt surprise me in the least sad to say.Li Na had talked about retirement last year.
I honestly feel this year her knee problems got worse,also the fact that she and Carlos had split up,her age also a factor when she weighed all this up.

I am also happy she finally won the Australian Open,her favourite Slam.

I was fortunate to see Li Na play live,Rome tournament and at Roland Garos.I appreciated her game.

I also loved her dry sense of humour,also the digs she made towards her husband Dennis over the years,she made me laugh so many times.

I wish her well in the future and I hope she finds happiness in whatever path she takes.

I actually think Carlos split from her because he knew in advance that Li is planning
to retire and not the other way.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ Well that notion is up in the air,from what I had read when the split did occur,Carlos was needed more at his academy in Beijing and could not give Li Na his full time as her coach.

 

[rubydo]

Not surprised like many of you. I have had the pleasure of watching her play in person against Elena Vesnina, last year at Eastbourne. Not one of her best matches but I have some great photos of her. She brought a high level game to the courts and with her unique sense of humour brought also a refreshing charisma that many players lack.
I will remember her in fondness.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

May I suggest "stand up comedian" to her as a career now that she has retired.
I think she will do well going by her funny interviews and press conferences on
several occasions.

 

[Hoergren]

Two-time Slam champion Li Na announced her retirement in a letter on her official Facebook page on Thursday night:

Post by Li Na.

"I’ve succeeded on the global stage in a sport that a few years ago was in its infancy in China. What I’ve accomplished for myself is beyond my wildest dreams. What I accomplished for my country is one of my most proud achievements," Li wrote.

Well Li we saw it coming and hoped the best. Good you listened to your body and stops when it's right. You've done a lot for tennis in Asia from which we see the fruits. I hope you'll continue to represent womens tennis with your quirky jokes and smile. Now it's time to nurse your husband he's deserved it!

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Official announcement from WTA:
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/4155316/title/li-na-announces-retirement

Li's letter included.

 

[Si Si Simona]

This is as shocking as Bartoli's sudden departure last year. May be just a little less.

Not shocking. I expected that since her last match.
She hasnt died btw, she just retired.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

It appears that all top 20 players have signed up to play in Wuhan. This is unusual considering
that Wuhan is a brand new tournament and also considering that it is not a mandatory premier
tournament (not to mention GS). Is it possible that all other players already knew about her retirement announcement before and may be are showing up to honor her?

 

[Si Si Simona]

Is it possible that all other players already knew about her retirement announcement before and may be are showing up to honor her?

Conspiracy!
The only conspiracy is that all 19 players are ganging up on the only player coming to "have pleasure on court"
You make tennis look more secret than some current armies operations

 

[faradubii]

It appears that all top 20 players have signed up to play in Wuhan. This is unusual considering
that Wuhan is a brand new tournament and also considering that it is not a mandatory premier
tournament (not to mention GS).

It's a Premier 5 (last one of the year), so it has points almost like a mandatory, and good results here will influence positions for the AO draw, not to mention precious points for the girls wanting to qualify to Singapore.

 

[sk310]

I'm sad to see Li go. She frustrated me so much over the years. I remember before she won the French she would always do so well in Australia then disappear. Yet it's impossible not to love her. Perhaps if her renaissance had come earlier in her career she could have gone even further.

I actually kind of like this kind of retirement. It reminds me of Marion Bartoli. I think it's very brave to decide to retire when a player is really ready to retire not when it best fits a PR narrative or when she is literally pushed to the brink. If your body is saying stop and your mind and heart is following...it's time.

 

[sk310]

Come on are we all this naive about why players go to tournaments?

If all top 20 players sign up for a random tournament it's OBVIOUSLY not for points its for appearance fees.

 

[Front242]

Very sad to see but not a bit unexpected really. She was a total character in interviews and when playing her best she was great to watch. Definitely will be missed and such a shame to not at least be able to defend her title same as Bartoli. That 6-2 6-2 destruction of Sharapova at the 2013 AO will never be forgotten

 

[isabelle]

Well deserved retirement, Good bye girl, be happy

 

[Si Si Simona]

Come on are we all this naive about why players go to tournaments?

If all top 20 players sign up for a random tournament it's OBVIOUSLY not for points its for appearance fees.

:huh: Thats so shallow and not true. All top 20 are already rich after winning many matches and doing well through their careers. They just plan carefully and Wuhan is very convenient. Its one week before a mandatory event they must play. Its a big event and a good preparation.
The players are not as shallow as you say they are. They dont jump after every dollar because they are already rich. They just try to keep healthy and not stay so far for so long. They play only two weeks and fly back home, thats all really.