Netizens turn on china star after outburst

China's only Grand Slam winner Li Na was the object of widespread media and online criticism on Friday after a graceless response to her French Open defeat.

Li, who won the tournament in 2011 to seal her place as one of China's sporting stars, crashed out on Thursday to unseeded American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in a rain-interrupted match.

At the post-match media conference the sixth seed reacted tersely when asked if she had an explanation for her fans at home.

"Do I need to explain?" she answered in Chinese. "It's strange. I lost a game and that's it. Do I need to get on my knees and kowtow to them? Apologize to them?"

Her remarks sparked condemnation in Chinese media and outrage from posters on China's Sina Weibo service, even among her fans.

In a commentary carried by China's official Xinhua News Agency, sports journalist Zhang Rongfeng wrote: "Losing the game and her bad temper were direct triggers of her episode at the presser.

"But if we take a closer look, her 'unfriendliness' has a lot to do with her lack of professionalism.

"As a successful athlete, Li Na may be very professional with her training, game experience, PR team operation, and so on, but she is not with her attitude towards the media. She's impatient and not respectful enough to the media."

A user named Dibayin commented: "Li lost the game, which is normal - no one wins all the time. It's her insensitivity that is the problem. What I want to ask Li Na is, why did you think you could just go off at the presser?

"Did you think you were still in the rice fields in your hometown in Hubei province? Losing the game is OK, you can win it next time. What you really need to improve is your courtesy and behavior."

Another user, Shenyu K, seemed to agree. "I am a fan of Li Na, but I really don't like this side of her - not her losing the game but what she said afterwards.

"It doesn't matter so much that she lost the game as she acted like a b---- and took out her frustration on the media and her fans. It's not unprecedented, she has blamed her husband and her coach before."

Li is due to play Wimbledon from June 24 and says she has no tournaments planned beforehand.

Agence France-Presse