Li Na retires after historic tennis career

China's Li Na announced her retirement at the age of 32 over persistent knee injuries on Sept. 19, prompting a wave of adulation for Asia's greatest and most influential tennis player.

Li, the first Asian national to win a Grand Slam singles title, said "my body is begging me to stop the pounding" as she ended a career that brought her nine titles and introduced tennis to the masses in China.