"The quarterfinal against Venus was the most memorable match for me. Not only because I won but also as two Chinese players reached the semis. I think it was an exciting point in the development of China's tennis," said Li.

"As for the semifinals, I feel a little bit of regret as I just didn't convert one or two key points. The gap is not that big."

At the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne, China boasted two players in the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time. That's a feat that has only been matched by the United States, Russia, Belgium and Serbia in recent years.

That success has been largely attributed to the "fly away" policy launched by the Chinese Tennis Association at the end of 2008, when Li, along with Zheng, Peng Shuai and former Australian Open doubles champion Yan Zi, left the state-run sports system and started managing their own back-up teams and schedules.

However, Li said the four had not "flown away" and insisted they were still national team players first and foremost.

"We are not flying away from the national sports system. We have just chosen different ways to develop," Li said during a celebration party held by the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in Beijing on Wednesday.

"We are still national team players and when the country need us, we will play for China anytime. I would like to thank the sport's governing body for giving us the opportunity to choose our own ways freely. We are on a professional road now but we are still linked to the national team."

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