Pregnant retired tennis star Li Na excited to be housewife

Melbourne: China's retired two-time Grand Slam champion Li Na expressed her excitement at starting a family with husband Jiang Shan after announcing her pregnancy at the ongoing Australian Open tennis tournament.

Li gave a pleasant shock to the crowd with her baby news Monday when the tournament was officially declared open, reports Xinhua.

She said Tuesday that she had waited since November to reveal the news at the place she had won her second Grand Slam.

"Melbourne, for me, is a special area so I know this is a big moment for me," Li said at a press conference.

"I wanted to speak to all my fans, my friends. When I (found out), I was feeling this is the best gift I got."

Li Na reached her career best World No.2 rank in February 2014 after winning last year's Australian Open. She also won the French Open in 2011 but was forced to retire from the sport seven months later due to chronic and worsening knee injuries.

Li said she was looking forward to becoming a housewife after making the tough decision to retire.

"It is my dream to be a housewife. I think every child learns from the family. I learnt from my mum, so I felt the woman has to be the housewife. But I guess I'm not bad at playing tennis," she said.

Now, besides motherhood, she is focused on choosing a location for her tennis academy, which would be the first in China.

"Right now, the Chinese people are very interested in tennis. When I said I wanted to have a tennis academy, all of China invited me," the 32-year-old said.

"Now, I have many choices."

Li also endorsed Japan's male star Kei Nishikori to take over the mantle of Asia's tennis ace from her.

"I saw him play (the US Open) final on TV," Li said. I think he is an amazing player. It is not easy to be at the top.

I know how hard working he is so I believe he can win a Grand Slam. Seriously," she added.

Asked whether, in another life, she would choose to be a tennis player, Li said yes.

"I will still choose tennis," she said, before adding with a smile, "I would still choose being a famous Asian as well."