In 2011, Li Na became China’s first winner of a Grand Slam tennis event when she defeated Francesca Schiavone to win the French Open. En route to the final amongst others she beat Petra Kvitova, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova. Earlier in the year she had reached the final of the Australian Open – another first for a Chinese player - beating world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-final, but losing in three sets in the final to Kim Clijsters.
