I lost focus after French Open title, says Li

China’s only grand slam winner admits win brought distractions.

PARIS: The distractions of being French Open champion led to six wasted months, said 2011 winner Li Na, who has finally found her form again in time to defend her title next week.             

“I lost a lot of time [after the title],” the Chinese player, who is seeded seventh in Paris this year, told a news conference after attending the draw ceremony on Friday.

Li, who became the first player from an Asian nation to win a grand slam when she beat Italian Francesca Schiavone in last year’s final in Paris, failed to win more than two matches in a row for the rest of the season for a drastic dip in form. “I had to do so many things out of tennis. So after Roland Garros I felt I had lost concentration. I was training as hard as before but it was totally different because my mind was not on the court anymore.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2012.