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Rediff.com  » Sports » Li Na eyes No 1 ranking after winning Australian Open
This article was first published 10 years ago

Li Na eyes No 1 ranking after winning Australian Open

January 27, 2014 15:50 IST

Image: Li Na of China poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at Brighton Beach, after winning the 2014 Australian Open
Photographs: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Li Na proved to be third time lucky at the Australian Open when she beat 20th seed Dominika Cibulkova.

This fourth seed and last year's runner up at the Australian Open, who won her second Grand Slam title and first Australian Open title said that she was ready to work hard to become World No 1.

Li Na eyes No 1 ranking after winning Australian Open

Image: Li Na of China sprays champagne during a photocall at Brighton Beach after winning the 2014 Australian Open
Photographs: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

The Chinese star will return to third in the rankings, just 11 points behind second-placed Victoria Azarenka.

Li's third ranking is the highest achieved by an Asian player and she acknowledged she now had a chance of supplanting American great Serena Williams, winner of 17 Grand Slam titles, as World No 1.

Li Na eyes No 1 ranking after winning Australian Open

Image: Li Na of China sprays champagne during a photocall at Brighton Beach after winning the 2014 Australian Open
Photographs: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

The 31-year-old added everyone has a chance to reach the top ranking, but she had a better opportunity than most after finally winning the Australian title.

The fourth seed said many people underestimated how hard it was to win a Grand Slam. 

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