Why Li Na's opponents are shaking in their shoes

BEIJING: Her quick reflex and athleticism are not new in tennis world but local favourite Li Na's scintillating form in the Beijing Olympics might have to do something with her electric heels.
    
The Chinese media is abuzz how a pair of shoes has made Li such a formidable opponent in the court and effected a marked improvement in the 26-year-old's game.
    
'The China Daily' claims it's the space-age shoe from Nike that has made her almost float in the court and sting opponents, including third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and Japanese Ayumi Morita who were swamped in straight sets.
    
According to the daily, each 'Zoom Court Luna' that Li slips into weighs just 227g, which is exactly half the weight of shoes worn by her peers. No other tennis player uses the shoe, claims the report.
    
Making of the shoes involve Lunarlite foam, which was developed by NASA and according to Nike shoe designer Kevin Hoffer, it makes the shoes at least 30 per cent lighter than the rest.
    
According to him, this mushy foam is not only soft but also bounces back. It reduces the pressure on feet and distributes body weight more evenly.
    
"When I first saw them, I didn't believe they were tennis shoes because they are so beautiful and light. After two days, fell in love with them and I made a call to say these were the shoes I wanted," Li was quoted as saying.