Last Sunday, I watched as China's tennis star Li Na loses her match against Monica Niculescu and is forced to leave the China Open.It was a sad moment for tennis in China. Li Na had only recently won the French Open and was placed 5th in the world rankings. She had been much celebrated as the first Chinese and the first Asian to "reach the summit of the Grand Slam" and all spectators (including myself) had very high hopes for her performance in her very own China.
It was a quick game, and after a 6-4 and 6-0 loss in sets, Li Na was ousted from the China Open. I was a bit sad, but the boys were happy to get up and walk around the stadium again. No real hardship for them.
On the photo above you can see Li Na and me in better days, at the beginning of the match. (Use your magnifying glass to spot Li Na on the far side of the field in pink skirt and white top.)
Tennis practice outside at the China Open in Beijing. I am sure these guys are famous, but I have no idea who they are.
Future star in the China Open? At least he got a free tennis ball out of the event.
Two Li Na fans discussing tactics.
Thomas and a friend enjoy the many other activities on the grounds of the China Open.
In het nederlands: Afgelopen zondag was ik erbij toen China's nationale tennistrots dramatisch ten onder ging voor eigen publiek bij de China Open in Beijing. Het was treurig om te zien en wat een leuke wedstrijd had kunnen zijn veranderde in een afslachting van Li Na door Monica Niculescu. Ik las in dit NOS artikel dat ze haar excuses aan me heeft aangeboden...
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Anna, as always you look gorgeous. Don't know where this tennis match occurred - presumably near Beijing but it looks pretty pollution free - can that be? Has your husband achieved the impossible and gotten rid of Beijing's bad air?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we all miss you and love your Annecdotes blog but our awful Defense Contractor rules don't allow us to reply directly. (I am on my home computer.)
Do keep posting; they are great. Are you doing other work? There is the possibility that we could use you for some work in Asia (online) but it's still emerging at this point; it would be climate change related. Are you potentially interested?
Best wishes