In Saturday's women's final at Roland Garros, Li Na became the first Chinese player ever to win a Grand Slam singles title, defeating last year's champion, Francesca Schiavone, 6-4, 7-6(0).? Li's biggest single asset was depth; she gave Schiavone very few balls to step in on and attack.? She also hit with excellent power, often taking the ball early to reduce Schiavone's time to react, and using her legs especially well to generate forward and upward drive to produce 31 winners.? Li's first serve was exceptionally consistent at 77% in for the match.? Schiavone also played well, with a very respectable 63% of first serves in, but she had only 12 winners for the match, and most surprisingly for such an accomplished volleyer, an unfavorable percentage of net points won: only 6 of 13, or 46%.? Li had a better percentage at net, winning 10 of 12, or 83%, in large part due to the depth of her approach shots.
Schiavone's win last year was great for the art of tennis, as it showcased the value of a versatile, creative style of play.? Li's win this year will likely provide a huge boost to the growth of tennis, as it will inspire 1.3 billion Chinese, who have never had a Grand Slam champion before.
No comments:
Post a Comment