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BEIJING, China - Li Na, a two-time Grand Slam champion from China who took tennis in Asia to a new level, has retired due to recurring knee injuries. Cheap NFL Jerseys From China . The 32-year-old Li posted a statement on social media sites Friday, ending a week of intensifying speculation that she would announce her retirement ahead of the new WTA tournament at Wuhan, her home town. The WTA, which runs womens tennis, has described Li as a trailblazer and credits her with being the first player from Asia to win a major title — she won the 2011 French Open, beating four Top 10 players in succession to wrap up the title — a few months after becoming the first from the region to reach a Grand Slam final, which she did at the 2011 Australian Open. She clinched the Australian Open title in January, in her third trip to the final at Melbourne Park, to reach a career-high No. 2 ranking, another continental milestone. Li hasnt played since a third-round defeat at Wimbledon, withdrawing from the U.S. Open citing a knee injury. "Most people in the tennis world know that my career has been marked by my troubled right knee," Li said in the open letter she posted online. "After four knee surgeries and hundreds of shots injected into my knee weekly to alleviate swelling and pain, my body is begging me to stop the pounding." After three operations on her right knee, dating back to March 2008, Li said her most recent surgery in July was on her left knee. "After a few weeks of post-surgery recovery, I tried to go through all the necessary steps to get back on the court," she said. "While Ive come back from surgery in the past, this time it felt different. "One of my goals was to recover as fast as I could in order to be ready for the first WTA tournament in my hometown. As hard as I tried to get back to being 100 per cent, my body kept telling me that, at 32, I will not be able to compete at the top level ever again. The sport is just too competitive, too good, to not be 100 per cent." Li started her career in the national system system, but had a keen sense of individuality. She bucked the system at times during her career — giving up tennis for two years to do media studies at a university earlier in her career — and later insisting on selecting her own coach. She also has won support from the public for her courage to defy Chinas rigid state-run sports system aimed at training world-class athletes. The announcement that she had parted ways with coach Carlos Rodriguez, ending an almost two-year working relationship with the former long-time mentor for Justin Henin, followed her Wimbledon defeat in July. Li won millions of admirers with her tough-as-nails approach on court, and her warmth and charm outside the arena. Her frequent jokes about life with Jiang Shan, her former coach and husband since 2006, in courtside interviews helped Li become an instant hit at the Australian Open. Among her other milestones, Li was the first Chinese player to win a WTA tour title (Guangzhou in 2004), the first to reach a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal (Wimbledon in 2006), first to break into the Top 20. "Ive succeeded on the global stage in a sport that a few years ago was in its infancy in China," Li said. "What Ive accomplished for myself is beyond my wildest dreams. What I accomplished for my country is one of my most proud achievements." Li rose to No. 2 in the rankings after her win in Australia in January, but dropped to No. 6 this month due to her injury-enforced inactivity. In the immediate future is the establishment of a Li Na Tennis Academy, providing scholarships for future Chinese players. In the not-too-distant future, shes hoping to start a family. "My philanthropic work will expand in scope as I continue to dedicate myself to helping those in need. What was once just a dream in China today is a reality," she said. "On a personal side, I look forward to starting a new chapter of my life, hopefully having a family and reconnecting with those I did not have the luxury of spending a lot of time with while playing." In a statement celebrating her 15-year professional career, WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster said Li "has been a fun, powerful, and wonderful player on the WTA tour and, along with her fans, I am sad to hear that she has retired." "In addition to her amazing tennis abilities and her warm and humorous personality, she is a pioneer who opened doors to tennis for hundreds of millions of people throughout China and Asia. Her legacy is immense and I have no doubt that her contributions to the WTA will be seen for decades to come," Allaster said. "Its hard to be a household name in a nation with 1.4 billion people, but thats what Li Na is." ___ AP Sports Writer John Pye in Brisbane, Australia contributed to this report. Cheap Jerseys 2018 . Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist and Martin Jones made just 17 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as the Kings snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-0 victory over the lowly Oilers on Thursday. MLB Jerseys 2018 . Billy Hamilton finished off Cincinnatis biggest comeback of the season for a doubleheader sweep. http://www.authenticwholesalejerseysnfl.com/ . Saltalamacchia drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, Henderson Alvarez won for the first time in three starts and the Miami Marlins beat the Braves 3-2 on Thursday night.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs didnt flinch in the face of adversity.For Leodis McKelvin and the Buffalo Bills, they endured a familiar late-game meltdown for a franchise that has had little go its way during a 14-season playoff drought — the NFLs longest active streak.Smith, on an 8-yard run, and Jamaal Charles, on a 39-yard scamper on fourth-and-1, scored less than five minutes apart as the Chiefs overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to pull out a 17-13 win over the bumbling Bills on Sunday.I think there is something to winning these types of games, Smith said. Theres a different type of confidence you get when you win games like this.The Chiefs (6-3) came out on top in a key midseason AFC showdown by improving to 6-1 in their past seven games.It was a different mood altogether in the Buffalos locker room after the Bills (5-4) unraveled coming out of their bye week off. McKelvin had difficulty containing his anger in issuing a series of profanity-laced answers in discussing how his fumble helped cost Buffalo the game.I take this ... to heart, McKelvin said. I fumbled the ball. It hurt us. But we still had a chance to come back and win the game. (Stuff) happens in the game. But youve still got to overcome it.The outcome turned early in the fourth quarter with Buffalo clinging to a 13-10 lead.The Bills defence forced a three-and-out, forcing the Chiefs to punt out of their own end zone.McKelvin fielded Dustin Colquitts punt cleanly at his own 31 and took a few steps to his right. Thats when he was initially hit by Albert Wilson. Anthony Sherman then knocked the ball loose, and recovered the fumble at the Bills 26.Two plays later, Smith faked a handoff to the right to Charles, and then took off left for the go-ahead score with nearly nine minutes left.Theres going to be games like this where everything is not pretty and you have to play through it, and theres a certain toughness that it takes, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. And our guys showed that today.The Chiefs defence showed that in ending any chances of Buffalo manufacturing a comeback after McKelvins 23-yard punt return gave the Bills the ball at Kansas Citys 25 with 4:35 remaining.The drive stalled at the 15, when Kyle Orton thrrew four consecutive incompletions, including an underthrown attempt to Sammy Watkins at the 1 on fourth down. Authentic Jerseys 2018. Defensive back Ron Parker knocked down three Orton attempts, while another sailed through the end zone past Chris Hogan.Orton went 29 of 48 for 259 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown to Hogan. Marcell Dareus had three of Buffalos six sacks.Very little went right for the Bills offence after Orton hit Hogan for a 25-yard touchdown to cap the opening drive. Buffalo then managed two field goals, lost a fumble and turned the ball over on downs in four trips inside the Chiefs 20.The lost fumble was crucial in opening the second half. Running back Bryce Brown was three steps from the end zone when he had the ball punched out of his hands by Parker. The ball bounced into the end zone, where tight end Scott Chandler had it go off his fingers and out for a touchback.Its disappointing, its frustrating, all those words, Chandler said. I dont know what to say about it. Weve got to be better.Things dont get any easier for the Bills, who had a two-game win streak snapped and fell to 2-4 against conference rivals. They face a key test in a short week — at division rival Miami on Thursday night.This marked the fourth time during their playoff drought the Bills lost after compiling a 5-3 record. Buffalo hasnt had six or more wins through nine games since 1999, the last time it made the playoffs.The Chiefs, who opened last season at 9-0, find themselves on another roll and in the thick of a jumbled AFC playoff race.Its just crazy how the NFL is going this year, offensive tackle Eric Fisher said. It was a huge AFC game for us. Getting that win, being 6-3, that sounds pretty good.Charles finished with 98 yards rushing, Smith went 17 of 29 for 177 yards and Dwayne Bowe had eight catches for 93 years.NOTES: Chiefs RB Cyrus Gray sustained a torn knee ligament. Reid said TE Demetrius Harris his foot before the game. ... Bills WR Marquise Goodwin did not return after hurting his ribs in fourth quarter. ... Bills RB Fred Jackson was limited to 10 yards rushing and 39 yards receiving in his first game after hurting his groin three week ago.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '