MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - She was every Asian’s hopes to represent the region in a major tennis tournament. Li Na of Wuhan of China, could have been the first Chinese to hold a grand slam title in a major tournament. But an overpowering ace from Belgium, Kim Clijsters smashed Li Na’s dreams to pieces as she was defeated Saturday night at Australian Open 2011 final match at Rod Laver Arena.

Li Na admits as shaky in her every first set during her pre-final matches. But unlike her dogfight with World Number 1 Caroline Wozniacki during the first Australian Open 2011 semi-final match, with 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory, Li opened her first set, strong, with Belgian Kim Clijsters at the final match over the weekend.

The Herald Sun even noted that the strength displayed by Li Na at the opening hour of the match prompted the courtside commentators ‘to compare her ball-striking to the great Serena Williams’.

The opening salvo however did not sustain her to lead the game and her dreams to win the first grand slam for an Asian was crushed with defeated 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Despite her loss however, Li Na was described by The Epoch Times as keeping her humor, as he thanked her husband in an interview after the match.

Known for her humor as her trademark, Li apologized to her husband for making him the ‘butt of jokes’ before the major final event.

She said, according to The Epoch Times, “Whether you are fat or skinny, handsome or ugly, I love him, I always follow you, I always love you,” bringing applause and roars from the crowd.

Li was earlier quoted by media reports holding off her wedding anniversary to husband, Jiang Shan, to give way to her much-dreamt battle at the final match of the Australian Open.

Li has remained positive even after her huge defeat.

“As for myself,” she continued, “doesn’t matter today, win or lose, because I played my best tennis already,” Lina was quoted as saying by The Epoch Times. Why she shouldn’t be? Li is sharing with Aussie Kim’s winnings of $2.2-M as 2011 Australian Open runner up.

The Herald sun said that Li is the second oldest woman to play in the Australian Open final. She came next to Chris Evert who was 33 when defeated by Steffi Graf in 1988.

The 29-year old from Wuhan has broken a number of records for tennis history in China. Fox News noted earlier that Li is the first Chinese ace to win a tour event, the first to dart her way to top 10 and the first to charge her way through a Grand Slam quarter final.