Known for her explosive temper, Chinese number one Li Na says she has no wish to be the "model athlete" many in her home country expect her to be.

The 26-year-old has long had a fractious relationship with tennis authorities in China, but says she just wants to be herself and to do her own thing.

"In China, if you fit that criteria (model athlete), you are regarded as a good athlete. Otherwise, you are just a bad one," she told the China Daily Friday.

"I don't think it should be like that. I want to be free."

That's why she considers American great Andre Agassi to be her idol.

"(Agassi) looks so free and unrestrained. He can do anything he wants, like having his ear pierced or a weird hair cut," she said.

"That's exactly what I want to be. For me, tennis is just a job."

After an injury plagued season, Li heads to the US Open next week hoping to maintain the form she showed at the Beijing Olympics where she became the first Chinese singles player ever to reach the semi-finals.

Li, the first Chinese woman to reach the world's top 20 and the first to win a WTA event, called it just another "stop" on her busy schedule.

"I understand how much the Olympics means to many people. But for me, as a professional tennis player, it is a just a tournament," she said.

And while the talk has been about the promising future for Chinese tennis, Li is more realistic.

"I know we have drawn a lot of attention. But we are just at the beginning of the road," she said. "Check out our men's side. We are still way behind the US and Russia."

AFP

RSS
Digg
de.li.cious
facebook