Pull of motherhood powerful for Chinese star Li Na

MELBOURNE – In the weeks after achieving history at the 2011 French Open as China's first Grand Slam singles champion, a storyline emerged about the ultimate dream of Li Na: motherhood.

The woman who would change the path of tennis in Asia for decades to come longed for children and a household of her own.

Monday night at the Australian Open, the now-retired two-time major winner made public that her dream was to be realized, as she's expecting her first child with her husband this summer.

"I think it's a very tough decision for me to make, say[ing] goodbye to tennis," Li said Tuesday, smiling through her words. "I was thinking about [retiring] like pretty long. And finally I was like, 'OK, I think this is best time for me to make it.'"

It was a nagging knee injury that officially pulled her away from the game, the 32-year-old opting not to defend her title at the Australian Open this year.

Former Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport, a mother of four, said she understood the power of the pull of motherhood.

"I played for three or four months with a really bad knee and from what I understand, [the injury] had long been a struggle for Li," said Davenport, now a TV commentator and coach. "You can't script these things, but what a great transition for her. She always talked about wanting that life. It's a perfect segue for her."

Plenty of former stars have left the game and had families as of late, including Davenport and another Grand Slam winner, Kim Clijsters.

Asked if the pregnancy played an active role in her decision to walk away from tennis in September, Li said it did not.

The pregnancy happened "just like this," she said, snapping her fingers as she laughed.

"I think she'd be a great mom," world No. 2 Maria Sharapova said Monday night. "It's a really exciting new chapter in her life. It's really nice to be able to settle down and focus on her family and her husband."

Her husband, Dennis Jiang, has been a famous topic within the tennis world as Li's comedic punching bag, most notably in her trophy ceremony speech last year here in Melbourne.

Would he be helping out with diaper duty?

"No, no," Li responded, laughing. "The guys, it's strange… he never change."

Renjie "Joe" Lu, a reporter for the Chinese sport website Sina, said the reaction in that country has been mostly good.

"The response has been very positive," Lu said. "People are discussing what name they will give the kid on social media. But there had been rumors for a while that she [was pregnant]."

American Venus Williams was surprised to hear the news.

"Well, that's so sweet. I didn't know that," she said. "Maybe there will be twins and a doubles team."

Williams, herself 34, said she wasn't sure she was ready for motherhood yet.

"I don't know, I'm still a big kid," Williams said, smiling. "I'm still growing up. We'll see. It's a big job. It's like the biggest job in the world. As much responsibility as I've taken on in my life, that still seems daunting."