Grand Slam champion Li Na might have retired from the world of professional tennis 14 months ago, but the 33-year-old is ready to embrace new roles, according to a report by China Daily.
Li, who gave birth in June to a healthy baby girl, is itching to transition to the role of a businesswoman.
"I will try to reinvent myself as a businesswoman, which might be a pretty big challenge. Every athlete faces new challenges and has to adapt to new roles in life after retirement. Why not try new things," Li shared at Sunday's WTA Elite Trophy tennis tournament in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province.
Li was in Zhuhai to fulfill another role--that of an ambassador for Women's Tennis Association to promote the organization's inaugural year-end tournament. Her role as WTA's ambassador has kept her busy, flying from one place to another to visit different tournaments.
Her new project, a tennis academy, is keeping her schedule far from relaxed.
"The plan to build an academy has been developing over the past year. We are dealing with some practical difficulties that we want to work out before announcing all the details," said Li.
Li Na, who won two Grand Slam single titles during the peak of her career, gave up cultural education on athletic training at an early age. She temporarily left the system in 2002 to acquire a degree in journalism at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, which she earned in 2009.
For Li, establishing an academy that merges tennis training and education will help nurse a new generation of professional Chinese athletes that are well-rounded and educated.
"I would love to teach kids as a trainer, but I will definitely not be full-time coach for professional players. After all, I have to take care of my family," said Li.