Serving up a treat

New picture book on tennis ace Li Na puts her sacrifices, triumphs and father's influence in the frame, Mei Jia reports.

A book about tennis legend Li Na could be titled Love Story, or maybe All Set and Done. Possibly even Life's a Racket or Holding Court. The book's title may pose a challenge but it is nothing compared to the text inside. It is not easy to condense the incredible life story of Li into a picture book. With two Grand Slam titles, Li is also the first player from an Asian country to win these titles and the first Chinese player to be seeded in a Grand Slam event.

At her height, she achieved a singles ranking of No 2. Li is the most successful Chinese tennis player of our age, and inspired many younger people to take up the sport. She was among the most popular tennis players on the circuit at that time, and was loved by Chinese tennis fans. She had an elegance and sense of humor that won over fans.

Li knows what sacrifices are involved in becoming a champion; the pain, the sweat, the hard work, the sore knees, the swollen ankles, the aching arms and the blisters.