The photo of the newborn baby's footprint. [Photo/weibo]

The retired mother-to-be appeared in public even more than she did during her sports career. She traveled non-stop to Shenzhen, Shanghai and then to Melbourne, where she first announced her pregnancy in January. She was awarded the Exceptional Achievement award at April's annual Laureus World Sports Awards in Shanghai when she was eight-month pregnant.

Other honors for Li after retirement include WTA Finals ambassador, "friend of Australian Open" and China Children and Teenagers' Fund ambassador. Chinese Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Ho-Sun Chan said in May he was making a movie about Li based on her autobiography.

Fans' quip

China's new tennis generation!

June 3 is also the birthday of Nadal. Alisa is born for tennis.

Alisa Jiang wins the Wimbledon Open and US Open and tops No 1 in 20XX!