This may have been the third time around, but it proved to be extra sweet for Chinese American tennis player, Li Na, after defeating Dominika Cibulkova to win the first Grand Slam title of the year, the Australian Open. Na, 31, was the finalist at the slam in 2011 and 2013 before becoming the champion in the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday.
This is the second Grand Slam victory for Na after winning the French Open in 2011 to become the first Asian player to win a Grand Slam Tournament. With her 7-6, 6-0 win over No. 20 Cibulkova, Na will move up from No.4 to No. 3 in the WTA rankings on Monday, just 11 points behind No. 2, Victoria Azarenka reported USA Today.
Throughout the first set, Li Na appeared to be nervous, making 19 unforced errors on her forehand before winning the set in a tiebreaker said Sports Illustrated. From then on, there was no looking back for Na as she didn’t lose another game in the 70-minute match.
“Finally I got her,” Li said after recieving the Daphne Akhurst trophy of the Australian Open. “Last two times was very close.”
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.