Two-time grand slam winner Li Na retires; to continue work for growth of tennis in China

China’s two-time grand slam winner Li Na announced her retirement on Friday. While multiple media reports were suggesting that Li Na will announce her retirement due to knee injury issues, she finally confirmed it through a statement on Facebook.

Li Na, who won the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open singles titles, has not played after she lost in the third round at Wimbledon in July. She withdrew from the United States Open in August also due to her knee injuries.

She wrote on the social media, "Representing China on the tennis court was an extraordinary privilege and a true honor. Having the unique opportunity to effectively bring more attention to the sport of tennis in China and all over Asia is something I will cherish forever. But in sport, just like in life, all great things must come to an end."

She said, that 2014 had been exciting for her,  "which included winning my second Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open and sharing the extraordinary experience with my country, my team, my husband and my fans. It was also a year filled with difficult moments, such as having to deal with the inevitable - making the decision to end my professional tennis career."

She said that her chronic injuries would not let her be the players she wants to be, and "walking away from the sport, effective immediately, is the right decision for me and my family."

She wrote that after three surgeries on the right knee and a recent one on the left, it had become increasingly impossible to give her 1005 to the sport. "Winning a Grand Slam title this year and achieving a ranking of World No.2 is the way I would like to leave competitive tennis. As hard as it’s been to come to this decision, I am at peace with it. I have no regrets. I was not supposed to be here in the first place, remember? Not many people believed in my talent and my abilities, yet I found a way to persevere, to prove them (and sometimes myself!) wrong."

But she promised a new tennis academy for her fans and spoke of providing scholarships and other assistance to underprivileged kids to shine in the world of tennis. 

"Whether you want to be a tennis player, a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher or a business leader, I urge you to believe in yourself and follow your dream. If I could do it, you can too! Be the bird that sticks out. With hard work, your dreams will come true," Li Na signed off.