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China goes gaga forLi

BEIJING - Chinese state media proclaimed Li Na's victory in the French Open on Saturday as the stuff of legends and miracles, elevating Asia's first grand slam singles winner to near mythic status in a country where national glory and athletic feats are closely entwined.

A rare front page sports story in yesterday's edition of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, said the "China-red" clay court at Roland Garros symbolised a miraculous victory for the country.

"The girl from Hubei, Li Na, at the birthplace of the sport, has opened a new era in tennis for China and all of Asia," it said, headlines effusive in describing Li as "bravely seizing" the French title, and "writing an Asian legend".

The official English-language newspaper the China Daily said Li displayed an "all-conquering maturity" in her straight sets victory over holder Francesca Schiavone of Italy.

It was national and personal redemption for the widely adored 29-year-old after falling in the Australian Open final to Belgian Kim Clijsters in January. By yesterday, nearly 2,1million people were fans of Li's twitter-like microblogging site on Sina Weibo and millions more were talking about her win.

Xinhua news agency said 95 million viewers tuned in to watch the match on state television.

For many young people in China, Li is a role model, partly because of her broad smile and off-court wit, but also due to her air of independence in a country where elite athletes' careers are nurtured - and largely supervised - by the state.

China Tennis Association chief Sun Jinfang said on Saturday that Li will help drive the sport forward in the country where it is still considered an elite game that lags behind basketball, soccer and table tennis in its popularity among the youth, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I hope that lots of kids see my performance and in their hearts they feel that one day they can be like me and do even better than me," Li said, according to Xinhua.