United States of Tennis: Black Girls Tennis Club liberates Black women and girls both on and off the court

It wasn't a shock, really. Li Na had worn all black in appearances at both the 2015 Australian Open draw ceremony alongside Stan Wawrinka and then also at the year's first Grand Slam players party. Thus the news of her pregnancy, delivered in real time to 15,000 adoring tennis fans in Rod Laver Arena on Monday, wasn't too surprising. Even so, she found there is actually one sure-fire way to upstage a Roger Federer match waiting in the wings.

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This was Li yet again telling her story on her own terms, in her own timing. What made the moment all the more beautiful was her subsequent message to fans on her Facebook page. It was a lengthy but breezy post, and in it she was as delightful as ever. She's long been hilarious; dare we say it, she sounds all grown up these days. The giggling, beaming girl has become a mature woman building a family at 32.

Beyond that, it's always splendid to see special relationships that players have with certain tournaments throughout the year, be they majors or tour-level events. Li, the 2011 and 2013 Aussie Open runner-up before she became its 2014 (and reigning) queen, has just that lovely relationship with Melbourne.

Here is her letter in full:

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My dear friends, I made my way to Melbourne this week to help my friends at the Australian Open kick off my favourite...
Posted by Li Na on Monday, January 19, 2015

You can become Li Na's 285,000th Facebook fan here.

Got a tip or a point to make? Hit me on Twitter at @jonscott9.

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