Li Na plays with Zhang Shuai at the WTA Wuhan Open tennis tournament in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, Sept 23, 2018. [Photo/IC]
MELBOURNE, Australia - Li Na is the first player from Asia elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
She joins Mary Pierce and Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the Class of 2019, which was announced Monday at the Australian Open.
All three players won a pair of Grand Slam singles titles — one at Melbourne Park and the other at Roland Garros.
Li retired in 2014 at age 32 because of recurring knee injuries. She won the 2011 French Open and 2014 Australian Open, making her the first tennis player born in Asia to collect a major singles title and helping grow the sport in her native China.
Kafelnikov won the 1996 French Open and 1999 Australian Open, while Pierce was the champion at the 1995 Australian Open and 2000 French Open.
The induction ceremony is July 20 at the hall in Newport, Rhode Island.
AP
Tennis star Li Na, Asia's first Grand Slam singles champion, is in Beijing on March 27, 2018, to encourage Chinese junior players to participate in the tournament when the Road to Wimbledon, the All England Lawn Tennis Club's prestigious junior tournament for 14 and under, returns to China for its third year. [Photo/VCG]Li Na in the royal box on center court on day six of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Wimbledon, July 7, 2018. [Photo/VCG]
Li Na in action against Flavia Pennetta (not pictured) during their quarterfinal match for the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Jan 21, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]
Li Na hits a forehand against Dominika Cibulkova (not pictured) on day eleven of the Sony Open at Crandon Tennis Center in Miami, Florida, USA, Mar 27, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]
