Twelve months on, the former world No. 2 is facing a whole new challengegetting to grips with the vacuum cleaner.
Persistent and worsening knee problems forced her to retire in September at the age of 32, and she admits the transition from tennis star to domestic goddess has been challenging.
“I do the house cleaning. Before, when I was traveling, I thought it was all pretty easy. And now I have to do all these things I think tennis is much easier,” she told CNN’s Open Court.
Luckily for Li, she can count on the support of her husband Dennis, with whom she is expecting her first child this summer.
“Family for me is most important thing,” she said, two days before announcing her pregnancy on the opening day of the year’s first grand slam.
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Whoever lifts the trophy, it might inspire Li — knees permitting, of course — to get back out on court and start hitting a few shots. There will be no glory this time, though, and no fans: all future games will be strictly for fun.
After all, as she says, you can’t totally leave something that has been so central to your world behind.
“Tennis is my life,” she concludes. “I grew up with tennis, and everything I know is from tennis.”
Read: Li Na — up close and personal
