Li Na hosts clinic ahead of Hall of Fame induction

Li Na will be the first Asian tennis player to be enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

China's Li Na poses with the trophy after victory in her women's singles final match against Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova on day thirteen of the 2014 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2014. [Photo: VCG]

On Saturday, She will be joined by Mary Pierce and Yevgeny Kafelnikov in Newport, Rhode Island as the hall's Class of 2019.

The Chinese star spent part of Thursday speaking to children and giving a clinic at a tennis club in New York City.

"Exciting, nervous, of course. But, for me, it's not easy getting in the International Hall of Fame ... for me, it's everything. Yeah," Li Na said.

Li Na already was the first tennis player born in Asia to win a Grand Slam singles title.

She retired in 2014 at age 32 because of recurring knee injuries, eight months after winning that year's Australian Open and rising to a career-high No. 2 in the WTA ranking.

Her first Slam trophy came at the 2011 French Open, where she defeated four top-10 opponents along the way.

"Not bad. At least I always try my best at tennis on the court. If you try everything, I think one day for sure there will be pay back. Yeah," Li Na said.

She also was the runner-up in Australia twice.