LONDON (AP) — The WTA says Li Na was watched by 116 million TV viewers in China when she won the country’s first Grand Slam singles title at the French Open.
The 29-year-old Li beat defending champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-6 (0) on Saturday.
WTA chairman Stacey Allaster says the audience was the biggest for a tennis match in China and is a “fantastic sign for the continued growth potential of women’s tennis in China.”
Citing figures from state broadcaster CCTV, the WTA says the previous highest Chinese TV audience for a sporting event this year was when 60 million viewers saw Li lose to Belgium’s Kim Clijsters in the Australian Open final in January.
