Li Na jokes about falls, facing defeat light-heartedly

MELBOURNE - While witnessing Li Na's falls, some of her fans burst into tears. But Li herself was rather light-hearted and even joked about her temporary blackout after her second fall at the women's singles final match on Saturday night.

"I was feeling like: how many years since you fell down on the court? What are you doing on the court, like juniors?" Li said at the post-match press conference.

Li hurt her left ankle in her first fall during the final match against No.1 seed Victoria Azarenka. After a 10-minute firework break on the Australian Day, she fell the second time and hit her head on the ground.

"It was a heavy fall. I could even hear the sound of my head hitting the ground. I touched my head with my hand for fear that it might bleed... There was a two-second blackout after the hit. I couldn't really see anything. It was totally black," Li recalled.

Only after the doctor and physio came to the court and talked to her did she manage to be back to sober. When her physio pointed a finger in front of her and asked her to follow the finger by eyes, Li broke into a laughter "because it reminded me of parents bringing their kids to the Children's Hospital for a check".

Fortunately, the ankle injury is not serious and "should be okay" after a total checkup after match. But unfortunately, the falls and the injury cost Li the match, the second time she lost in the Australian Open final, though Li attributed it to a better performance by opponent Azarenka.

"It is a very tough match. She's No. 1 defending champion... I think today she was playing better than me, so that's why she can win the title."

At the awarding ceremony, Li was hailed as "winning more friend with her bravery". Li herself admitted she felt very much at home in Melbourne as she could see Chinese national flags around the stands and hear her Chinese fans. She also felt the hospitality of the Australian audience every time she played at the Australian Open.

Wearing a T-shirt with Chinese characters saying "The only thing that couldn't be cooled down is determination", Li seems to be determined to deliver in the year 2013 as she said her determination has never wavered since the beginning of the year no matter what come out of the Australian Open.