28 Jan 2010

Game growing in China, says rising tennis star Li Na

8:02 am on 28 January 2010

There'll be two Chinese semi-finalists in the women's draw at the Australian tennis Open after Li Na impressively defeated the American Venus Williams in three sets.

Her compatriot Zheng Jie also made it out of the quarter-finals, prompting questions for Na to field in English from the Australian press about the game in China.

Being in Melbourne right now, she's not too sure what the reaction from back home is to her and Jie's impressive progress, apart from what she's heard directly from friends there. She says she got 20 text messages from China after her friends saw the match live.

Na's next assignment is against the other Williams sister, defending champion Serena, while Jie plays former champ Justine Henin for a place in the final.