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Grand Slam Gal

Li Na or Na Li? She Confirms…

By

Fred Stolle interviewing Li Na

I’ve often wondered how to say and write the 2011 French Open champion and 2013 Australian Open finalist’s name correctly.

Should it be Li Na or Na Li?

I’ve seen it written both ways.

In a post match interview after beating Medina Garrigues at the Hopman Cup in January 2012, Fred Stolle asked the question.

Li Na confirmed that her first name is “Na” and surname is “Li” but in China the family name is used first when saying someone’s name.  She also confirmed that “even my mum calls me Li Na”.

So Li Na is it.

Family name first and first name second. The traditional Chinese way.

Until next time

Grand Slam Gal


Comments

  2. Thanks for your comment OCA, I totally agree re commentators etc making an effort to pronounce names correctly. Although the mis-pronunciations can be hilarious, it’s really not that hard to get them right.

  3. Excellent Grand Slam Gal!

    An ideal I live by is to continually strive to do things better. I have lived in Asia for over 7 years now and always respect the Asian players by writing their names on my site as they are said and should be said and written, according to the Asian custom. I think it is poor form not to respect this custom (family name first and first name second). I wish all tournaments around the world would set an example by listing and saying the Asian players names correctly.

    In addition, I really think people who work in the tennis industry who need to speak to the players, announce the players, commentate on the game on TV or radio etc. should show more respect to the players (whom without they wouldn’t have that job), by spending some time and effort to make sure they know and can say each players name correctly. Another one that I cannot understand how it goes unchanged is when people in the above mentioned roles say “Wimble-TON” instead of “Wimble-DON”. C’maaaaaaawn as a champion Aussie player made his catch-cry, let’s lift our own game and the game of tennis ALL around the world!

    There’s my 2 bobs/20 cents worth! Take it or leave it 🙂

    Best regards,

    OnCourt Advantage