Former world No 1 Roger Federer was ousted by Frenchman Gael Monfils at the third round while heavy favorites Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic both get through to the last eight at the ongoing Shanghai Masters on Thursday.
Defending champion Serena Williams announced on Friday to withdraw from the China Open due to injury.
While there is no official confirmation of Li Na's pending retirement, the Chinese tennis ace received an overwhelming number of good wishes from fans across the Internet - around 13 million.
Unconfirmed Chinese media speculation about 32-year-old tennis star’s decision to retire has drawn nearly 12 million views in just a few hours.
Chinese player Peng Shuai has pulled out of the upcoming Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open due to a heat stroke.
Serena Williams, Russian world No 6 Maria Sharapova and Li Na, together with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are set to make the China Open the most star-studded in its 11-year history.
Serena Williams and Li Na will headline a star-studded field at the inaugural WTA Wuhan Open in September, organizers said on Thursday.
Sun Jinfang, chief of Chinese Tennis Association (CTA), said she pins high hope on China's young generation of tennis players on international courts, as the country is still lagging behind in the sport - despite Li Na's historic triumphs in recent years.
China's leading tennis ladies have confirmed their participation in the Shenzhen Open, as the official direct entry list is announced for the $500,000WTA tournament, which takes place at the Shenzhen Longgang Sports Center from 29 December 2013, to January 4, 2014.
The head of women's tennis is more than willing to take a backseat to Chinese star Li Na as the Wuhan native's impact on the game's growth in the Asia-Pacific region continues to grow.
Wuhan, capital city of Hubei province, will play host to the Asian leg of the Women's Tennis Association Premier 5 tour in September 2014.
World number one Serena Williams looked to be at about the peak of her game as the 32-year-old needed just one hour and 28 minutes to send eighth seed Jelena Jankovic crashing for her second China Open crown on Sunday.
Djokovic won his fourth China Open title in five years on Sunday, prevailing 6-3 6-4 in the final against Rafael Nadal.
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