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发表于 2011-6-4 18:26:32
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Li becomes first Chinese Slam singles champion
PARIS (AP)—China’s long wait for a Grand Slam champion ended Saturday
when Li Na beat Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-6 (0) in the French Open
final.
The Australian Open runner-up celebrated by falling flat on her back in
the red clay after Schiavone hit a backhand long on match point.
The crowd at Roland Garros was dotted with red Chinese flags and a
small, vocal group supporting Schiavone. And despite dropping her serve
for the only time late in the second set, Li won the final nine points
of the match to earn her first major title.
On Sunday, five-time champion Rafael Nadal will face Roger Federer in
the men’s final.
The title was only Li’s fifth in her career, and first on clay.
She was broken only once by the defending champion, while she converted
two of her eight break points—one in each set. She finished with 31
winners, while Schiavone had only 12.
Li took a 3-2 lead in the first when Schiavone sent a forehand wide.
She held at love in the next two games, and then won the set when
Schiavone sent a forehand long.
The Chinese player opened the second set with her second break of the
match, and then saved Schiavone’s first break point in the next game
with an ace. But Schiavone broke back in the eighth game to even the
score at 4-4.
Both players held the rest of the way, but Schiavone came within two
points of winning the set on four occasions, twice at 5-5 and two more
times at 6-6.
Although Li has said she is not a big fan of playing on clay, her power
and precision worked well against Schiavone, who last year became the
first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.
For Li, the year started well but soon took a dip.
After losing to Kim Clijsters in the Australian Open final, the 29-
year-old Li lost her next four matches. But she recovered her form
shortly before the French Open, reaching the semifinals in Madrid.
By winning Saturday, Li is expected to move to No. 4 in the rankings,
equaling the record for the highest ranking by a woman from Asia.
Japanese player Kimiko Date-Krumm has also been ranked No. 4.
Both Li and Schiavone came into the final with plenty of experience.
Combined, they were the oldest pair in a women’s Grand Slam final since
Wimbledon in 1998, when Jana Novotna, 29, beat Nathalie Tauziat, 30. |
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