![]() Here Li is talking to one of China's top junior players in March in Beijing. Li Na's grand slam breakthrough at the 2011 French Open led to a tennis revolution in China, which has invested heavily in growing the game both on a grass-roots and elite level. “Now, I am focused on my family, I would like to say, 70% family, 30% in business,” said Li, who won’t be coming to Wimbledon this year because it clashes with her youngest child starting kindergarten. With her busy family life and $20 million-a-year business empire, which includes her own clothing line with long-time endorser Nike, plans to start her own tennis academy, television appearances and a new movie based on her life, there isn’t much time left for tennis. “Before, she went to kindergarten, and the teacher asked ‘what does your mum do?’ And she said ‘My mum, no job.’ So she came back home, and said ‘Mum, why don’t you have a job?’ And I said ‘My job is to take care of you.’” “Before, they didn’t know that,” said Li. “Last year, I played legends doubles at Wimbledon, and it was the first time they know, ‘Oh, my mum is a tennis player’,” Li told CNN Sport in an exclusive interview in Beijing. Li and her former coach and husband Jiang Shan, whom she often refers to as ‘Dennis,’ are the parents of a three-year-old daughter, Alisa, and a two-year-old son, Sapajou. The now 37-year-old Li has devoted most of her time to her family and her business career since chronic knee injuries forced Asia’s first grand slam singles tennis champion into retirement five years ago. Li Na may be one of China’s most influential sports stars but at home she is just like most parents, regularly being brought back down to earth by one of her children. ![]()
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