Pioneering Li Na aims to make more tennis history by becoming the oldest leading player in the game as well as the first super-rich player from China.

Li, 30, secured her financial future and sought to extend her career soon after becoming the first Chinese player to win a grand slam title at the French Open last year.

Now with the support of a Belgian coach and a well-known American entrepreneur she has created a highly knowledgeable team around her which could see her last till her mid-thirties. She may also have gained mental strength from the enterprise of Max Eisenbud, who helped make Maria Sharapova become the world's highest paid female athlete and recently negotiated a three-year deal for Li reportedly worth US$48 million.

Li was very forthright about the influence of Carlos Rodriguez, who coached Justine Henin to seven grand slam titles and is now helping to prolong Li's top level career.

"He has changed a lot," Li said. "And the first two days I hated it all because I had to change all the things from long ago. So, first two days I always fight - not against Carlos, I was fighting against myself! But after one or two weeks I was getting better and better."

Though they have still only been together for two months, Li thinks Rodriguez is a significant reason why she found the extra push to snatch the last place at the WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

Already the first Chinese player ever to take part in the women's tour's flagship event, Li is now one of the elite eight qualifiers for the second successive year.

"It was like so many people say - after Carlos came to my team, the change was unbelievable," she said. "I really have to say he's doing a good job. I was also happy to have him because I think he is a positive person and gives a lot of positive things for all the team. He makes me train a little bit for strength in the mind, not only for tennis."

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