French Open finalist Li Na
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Li Na the first Asian woman to play in a Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in January
- 29-year old will play defending champion Francesca Schiavone in French Open final
- She is viewed as a rebel in China, with her tattoo, different hair colors and fiery personality
But if she doesn't it won't tarnish her popularity.
To many Chinese, "China's number one sister" is a maverick. She has a tattoo, has dyed her hair many different colors and has even been known to yell at her husband in public.
She cemented this rebellious reputation at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by telling her own fans to "shut up" when they got too vociferous in their support during every point she played against Russia's Dinara Safina. Unfortunately this reaction did not go down too well with her supporters. "It was a very bad experience," she told CNN. "Next time I will just ask them to be quiet!"
Tattoos are controversial for many Chinese and are often associated with bad behavior. But Li is not shy in showing off the rose which adorns her chest -- she told fans it is the symbol of her love for her husband.
History-maker faces Schiavone in Paris
In late 2008, she quit China's tennis program and started her own team. With this new arrangement, she was able to choose her own coach and pay 8 to 12% of her winnings to the government compared with 65% in the past, according to Jiefang Daily, a government-run newspaper.
History made at Australian Open 
Gallery: Australian Open women's final RELATED TOPICS
- Li Na
- French Open
Li grew up in China's highly centralized and rigid sports program, a style adopted from the Soviet Union. The Chinese government invests heavily in sport and recruits athletes at a young age. Though this system has created a number of world champions across many sports, it is infamous for its strict management and the sacrifices athletes are expected to make.
China's eyes on Li Na's final bid
At the age of six, Li was selected to play badminton at her local sports school. Her father, himself a badminton player, was keen for her to focus on this sport until her coach introduced her to tennis -- a game he said she would enjoy if she liked being in the sun.
Unfortunately these early memories were not always positive.
"I felt sad because everyday I had to wake up early to practice before going to school," she said. "After school I had to go back to tennis again, and then after tennis I had homework. I didn't have time to play."
But Li Na is a late bloomer. Her career has blossomed at the age 29, which is relatively old for professional women's tennis. The world number five also became the first Asian woman to play in a Grand Slam final when she lost out to Kim Clijsters at the Australian Open in January.
But if she wins in Paris, her popularity in China might even exceed that of NBA superstar Yao Ming.
"I would like to play as long as I can, maybe another two or three years." she told CNN. "I like children so hopefully afterwards I can have a baby."