In January 2011, Li reached the singles final at the Australian Open, where she was defeated by Kim Clijsters in 3 tight sets. In June 2011, Li won the 2011 French Open by defeating the defending champion Francesca Schiavone in the final, and became the first national of an Asian country to win a Grand Slam singles title.
She entered the 2011 Mutua Madrid Open as sixth seed. In first two rounds, she defeated María José Martínez Sánchez 6–4, 7–6(6), and Iveta Benešová 6–1, 6–4. In the third round she defeated Roberta Vinci 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 coming back from a set deficit. She defeated Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, coming back from, 3–4, one break down in the deciding set. This victory marked her the first semifinals appearance in Madrid, where she eventually lost to Petra Kvitová 3–6, 1–6.
Li's resurgence continued in 2011 Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Seeded 4th, she received a bye in the first round. She won her opening match against Lourdes Domínguez Lino 6–4, 6–2. She defeated Jarmila Gajdošová 6–2, 6–1, and Gréta Arn 6–3, 6–1 in the next two rounds en route to her back-to-back semifinals on clay court.However, she lost to Samantha Stosur 7–6(6), 6–0.
Li won her first Grand Slam title and become the first Grand Slam singles champion born in an Asian country at the 2011 French Open. Seeded 6th, she defeated Barbora Záhlavová-Strýcová, Silvia Soler Espinosa, Sorana Cîrstea, 9th seed Petra Kvitova, 4th seed Victoria Azarenka, 7th seed Maria Sharapova and 5th seed and defending champion Francesca Schiavone in the final. After the match, Li Na was praised by the Chinese media and her popularity throughout China is expected to grow significantly in the following months, as she became the first ever Chinese singles player (and also the first Asian) to win a tennis Grandslam title. Following the French Open, Li will reach a career high ranking of World No. 4.
stats
Country : People's Republic of China
Residence : Wuhan, Hubei, China
Date of birth : February 26, 1982
Place of birth: Wuhan, Hubei, China
Height : 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Turned pro : 1999
Plays : Right handed (two-handed backhand)
