China netizens turn on Li Na after defeat outburst
Chinese media and internet users question player's professionalism over her graceless retort about French Open loss to Mattek-Sands
Li Na was the object of widespread media and online criticism on the mainland yesterday, 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 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to unseeded American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in a rain-interrupted second-round match.
At the post-match press conference, the sixth seed reacted tersely when asked if she had an explanation for her fans at home.
"Do I need to explain?" she riposted in Putonghua. "It's strange. I lost a game and that's it. Do I need to get on my knees and kowtow to them? Apologise to them?"
In a commentary, Xinhua 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.