China’s number one female tennis player Li Na won the inaugural Shenzhen Longgang Gemdale Open, an International-level WTA tour event, on Sunday after beating Czech Republic’s Klara Zakopalova 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
It was a match considered to be evenly played. In fact, Zakopalova won more points in the match than the champion – at 89-88. The match lasted two hours and four minutes.
Li Na, who won the French Open title in 2011, captured her seventh WTA title and her second in China (the first one was in Guangzhou in 2004).
“Klara played well and I managed my mood swings well, and I’m glad I made it,” Li said after the match.
“Winning the title certainly helps boost my confidence for the coming weeks, but it also depends on how I’m playing on the courts. Confidence itself won’t guarantee a win. But I’m very happy to win and the Shenzhen Longgang Gemdale Open was a great tournament – I believe it will get even better in future years,” she added.
Li Na will proceed to Sydney to take part at the Apia International tournament which is part of the Australian Open Series.
“I’ll fly to Sydney tonight. I’ll try my best there and as a professional player I’ll play every match very seriously. I don’t know how many more years I will still play, so I’m really cherishing every match I play,” the Chinese tennis star said.
The doubles title was won by top-seeded sisters Yung-Jan Chan and Hao-Ching Chan.
