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BEIJING, China - Li Na, a two-time Grand Slam champion from China who took tennis in Asia to a new level, has retired due to recurring knee injuries. The 32-year-old Li posted a statement on social media sites Friday, ending a week of intensifying speculation that she would announce her retirement ahead of the new WTA tournament at Wuhan, her home town. The WTA, which runs womens tennis, has described Li as a trailblazer and credits her with being the first player from Asia to win a major title — she won the 2011 French Open, beating four Top 10 players in succession to wrap up the title — a few months after becoming the first from the region to reach a Grand Slam final, which she did at the 2011 Australian Open. She clinched the Australian Open title in January, in her third trip to the final at Melbourne Park, to reach a career-high No. 2 ranking, another continental milestone. Li hasnt played since a third-round defeat at Wimbledon, withdrawing from the U.S. Open citing a knee injury. "Most people in the tennis world know that my career has been marked by my troubled right knee," Li said in the open letter she posted online. "After four knee surgeries and hundreds of shots injected into my knee weekly to alleviate swelling and pain, my body is begging me to stop the pounding." After three operations on her right knee, dating back to March 2008, Li said her most recent surgery in July was on her left knee. "After a few weeks of post-surgery recovery, I tried to go through all the necessary steps to get back on the court," she said. "While Ive come back from surgery in the past, this time it felt different. "One of my goals was to recover as fast as I could in order to be ready for the first WTA tournament in my hometown. As hard as I tried to get back to being 100 per cent, my body kept telling me that, at 32, I will not be able to compete at the top level ever again. The sport is just too competitive, too good, to not be 100 per cent." Li started her career in the national system system, but had a keen sense of individuality. She bucked the system at times during her career — giving up tennis for two years to do media studies at a university earlier in her career — and later insisting on selecting her own coach. She also has won support from the public for her courage to defy Chinas rigid state-run sports system aimed at training world-class athletes. The announcement that she had parted ways with coach Carlos Rodriguez, ending an almost two-year working relationship with the former long-time mentor for Justin Henin, followed her Wimbledon defeat in July. Li won millions of admirers with her tough-as-nails approach on court, and her warmth and charm outside the arena. Her frequent jokes about life with Jiang Shan, her former coach and husband since 2006, in courtside interviews helped Li become an instant hit at the Australian Open. Among her other milestones, Li was the first Chinese player to win a WTA tour title (Guangzhou in 2004), the first to reach a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal (Wimbledon in 2006), first to break into the Top 20. "Ive succeeded on the global stage in a sport that a few years ago was in its infancy in China," Li said. "What Ive accomplished for myself is beyond my wildest dreams. What I accomplished for my country is one of my most proud achievements." Li rose to No. 2 in the rankings after her win in Australia in January, but dropped to No. 6 this month due to her injury-enforced inactivity. In the immediate future is the establishment of a Li Na Tennis Academy, providing scholarships for future Chinese players. In the not-too-distant future, shes hoping to start a family. "My philanthropic work will expand in scope as I continue to dedicate myself to helping those in need. What was once just a dream in China today is a reality," she said. "On a personal side, I look forward to starting a new chapter of my life, hopefully having a family and reconnecting with those I did not have the luxury of spending a lot of time with while playing." In a statement celebrating her 15-year professional career, WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster said Li "has been a fun, powerful, and wonderful player on the WTA tour and, along with her fans, I am sad to hear that she has retired." "In addition to her amazing tennis abilities and her warm and humorous personality, she is a pioneer who opened doors to tennis for hundreds of millions of people throughout China and Asia. Her legacy is immense and I have no doubt that her contributions to the WTA will be seen for decades to come," Allaster said. "Its hard to be a household name in a nation with 1.4 billion people, but thats what Li Na is." ___ AP Sports Writer John Pye in Brisbane, Australia contributed to this report. Cheap Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys Online .com) - His team lost in the round of 16 of the FCS playoffs, yet Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says his team has made a strong case to be voted to the top 5 in the final rankings. Cheap Kansas City Chiefs Gear . Terrance Broadway threw for 227 yards and Hunter Stover kicked three field goals as the Ragin Cajuns won an unprecedented fourth straight New Orleans Bowl with a 16-3 triumph over Nevada. http://www.cheapchiefs.com/ . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Discount Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys .com) - Maria Sharapova reached her 10th career grand slam final after beating Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets at the Australian Open on Thursday. Authentic Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys . -- Nick Bjugstad snapped out of his scoring slump and spoiled Drew MacIntyres first NHL start.KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Neither rain nor the Kansas City Royals could stop the Los Angeles Angels from winning again. Albert Pujols and David Freese combined to drive in five runs as the Angels beat the Royals 6-2 on Saturday for their seventh victory in eight games. There were two rain delays with the second after the fourth inning lasting 3:58. The game didnt end until nearly 7 hours after it started. "We had a lot of waiting in between a baseball game," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. The official game time was 2:48, while the rain delays totalled 4:06. "Its a waiting game," said Eric Hosmer, who had one of the six Royals hits and scored a run. "You basically hang out. We heard it was going to be a couple of hours. It wasnt one of those things where we were thinking it could start any minute, so we had a little heads up. Its all part of the grind of the season. There are going to be days like that. Its what we all sign up for." Pujols, who has 14 RBIs in his past 13 games, singled home runs in the third and sixth innings. Freese, who had three hits, drove in three runs, two in the four-run sixth and the other in fourth. He has six RBIs in his past seven games, after driving in only three in his previous 26 games. "It was nice to come out and get some runs after the rain," Freese said. "It was almost like starting a new game so it was nice to get some runs, and nice to get the win." Kole Calhoun added three hits, scored two runs and drove in one. The Angels four-run sixth included four hits, two walks and three stolen bases. Rookie right-hander Mike Morin (2-1), who went to high school at a Kansas City suburb, allowed two runs on two hits over two innings to pick up the victory. "It was cool," Morin said. "Scioscia told me I was going to get the ball and I had all my family and friends here. They were probably the only ones left after the rain delay. Its been a great weekend. Ill never forget it. It was just fortunate that I could be in there to get the win in front of them."t; Angels left-hander Hector Santiago was not allowed to come back out after the second delay.dddddddddddd He pitched four scoreless innings, giving up four hits. "Somebody sent me a message and asked me did you make a witch angry?" said Santiago, who needed to pitch one more inning to claim his first victory of the season and losing his first seven decisions. "It seems like everything that can have an effect on me getting a win has happened. But I gave four scoreless innings and gave us a chance to win, and the team got the win, so thats what I care about." Royals rookie Yordano Ventura (5-7) took the loss, yielding two runs on seven hits over four innings. "I felt like I was in command of the strike zone, but unfortunately the rain got to me and I couldnt go back out," Ventura said with Royals catching coach Pedro Grifol acting as his interpreter. "I prepared to pitch today and I wanted to go back out, but there was no way I could go back after that long rain delay." Veteran left-hander Bruce Chen, who had not pitched since April 24 and going on the disabled list with a bulging disc, replaced Ventura after the game resumed. He allowed four runs on four hits, all in the sixth, walked two and struck out eight over five innings. Jason Grilli made his Angels debut after being acquired in a Friday trade with the Pirates and worked a perfect eighth, striking out one. Notes: LHP Brandon Finnegan, the Royals first selection and 17th overall pick in the draft, signed for $2,200,600. Finnegan, who went 9-3 with a 2.04 ERA as a junior and helped lead TCU to the College World Series, will report Monday to the Royals Class A Wilmington, Delaware farm club. ... Angels LHP Tyler Skaggs, who is on the disabled list with a right hamstring injury, threw in the bullpen and could make a start at Chicago, the Angels next stop on this trip. ... The Angels have won eight of their past 10 meetings against the Royals. ... The Royals have lost seven of nine after their 10-game winning streak ended on June 19. 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