Read the Beijinger's Interview with Australian Open Winner Li Na

Li Na anticipated Saturday's win at the Australian Open in a December interview with the Beijinger. She declared herself "ready" for the season's first major, along with the goal of winning another major in 2014. Done and done, Ms. Li. Read our interview below:

World third-ranked women's tennis player Li Na is ready for a run at next month's Australian Open title, she said in an interview with the Beijinger on Sunday during a visit to the International School of Beijing (ISB).

"I think I'm ready. Melbourne is my favorite Grand Slam," she said. "My goal for next year is to win another Grand Slam [title]." Li spoke at ISB Sunday to students and families in support of the English translation of her autobiography, My Life, which was published December 1 by Viking, a Penguin Group imprint.

Li said becoming the world's top-ranked female player was her goal for 2013, but was not disappointed with her current ranking. "The champion is not always the winner," she said.

Li shot to global prominence when she won the 2011 French Open, becoming the first player from an Asian nation to win a Grand Slam title, male or female. Li was the runner-up in the 2013 Australian Open, and made it to this year's semi-finals at the US Open. She achieved her world number three ranking on October 28.

The Wuhan native hopes for more tennis tournaments in China like Beijing's annual China Open, where she played against then-world male number one Novak Djokovic as a way to increase awareness and participation, and also to improve competition for younger players. "Tennis has not been in China for such a long time. We don't have the junior programs like the Europeans and the Americans do," she said. "We need more tournaments in China. It's good for the fans. Starting next year, they will be able to enjoy top tournaments four weeks in a row here.

She was not discouraged by high levels of pollution during this year's China Open in October, which drew criticism from other players like Rafael Nadal. "That's something that we all experience. We just have to get used to it," Li said.

Li met with players from ISB's female tennis team and other athletes, with whom she posed for pictures and signed autographs. Three ISB students then interviewed her in front of an audience of about 400 ISB families and community members, followed by a question and answer session. Afterwards, she spent another 40 minutes signing books and other items, and posing for photos.

The trip wasn't Li's first visit to Beijing's Shunyi suburb: during her public talk, Li revealed that she has committed to supporting seven Shunyi orphans in school through their university education.

Read more about Li Na's reflections on her childhood and recommendations for parents on the beijing kids website.

Photos: Sydney Morning Herald and Steven Schwankert