It is the same question that had provoked Li's anger after the former French Open champion was dumped out the Roland Carlos tournament in the second round last month.
"Do I need to explain?" Li then returned in Chinese.
"It's strange. I lost a game and that's it. Do I need to get on my knees and kowtow to them? Apologize to them?" said the player from the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
Her remarks, either from the French Open or Wimbledon, sparked debates among Chinese public.
"Meifulin", a netizen on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like website, said: "Reporting is that reporter's job just as playing tennis is your job. How can Li say those graceless words? (What she said is) Too disappointing. If she doesn't change her attitude, Li may face some bigger challenges and troubles in the future."
"Miaomiaojia", one of Li's 21.6 million followers on Sina Weibo, commented: "I'm a little disappointed at Li. What that reporter asked is not a tough or insulting question. As a 32 year old adult, Li should behave more mature and show more respect to others."
Another weibo user "Xidanluotuo" said: "Losing the game triggered Li's outrage, which is a sign of lacking professionalism."
Feedback
RSS
