The pair met at tennis school as part of the Chinese state sports system, ignoring the rules forbidding relationships, and then went to college together. Jiang eventually ended his own dreams of playing professionally on the tour to accompany Li in her career.
She became the first player born in Asia to win a grand slam when she won the French Open in 2011 and then lifted a second slam at the Australian Open in 2014. More than 110 million people tuned in to watch her triumph at Roland-Garros.
The former world No 2 has since been entered into the Tennis Hall of Fame, the first Asian player to be given the honour.
Party time for Chinese tennis shows struggle since Li Na flew solo
Jiang said in the interview, which was uploaded to the Mango TV streaming site on Friday, that he only had one regret – that Li never became world No 1.
“It’s not a disappointment but the only one is the goal of our joint efforts. Maybe it’s that we didn’t get to be No 1 in the world. It’s a little disappointment,” he said.
Li often mentioned Jiang during her playing days, often as the butt of a joke.
02:08
China’s Li Na enters International Tennis Hall of Fame
China’s Li Na enters International Tennis Hall of Fame
His snoring became public knowledge at Melbourne Park in 2011 when Li threatened him with having to sleep in the bath.
Jiang stayed on even after he was sacked as Li’s coach to be replaced by Michael Mortensen before the 2011 French Open win that would catapult her to stardom.
Li’s dramatic rise made her a huge star in China and beyond, with both Japan’s Naomi Osaka and Britain’s Emma Raducanu describing the Wuhan-native as a role model. She retired in 2014, the same year that she reached a career high world No 2.
02:38
China's former tennis champion Li Na talks about Naomi Osaka
China's former tennis champion Li Na talks about Naomi Osaka
Meanwhile, it appears that the long awaited Li Na biopic Li Na: My Life will be released in China next year, according to reports in Chinese media.
The film, which is based on her bestselling autobiography, stars French actor Vincent Cassel as Li’s coach Carlos Rodriguez and Chinese film star Ge Hu as her husband.
Despite being completed in 2018, the Peter Chan Ho-sun directed film had not been handed a release date amid a number of controversies and criticism of the tennis player.
Chinese consulate slams ‘fake news’ Li Na has changed nationality
Li, who left the state sport system in 2008 to “fly solo”, has kept a low profile and has not posted to her 22 million Weibo followers since last July.
No Chinese players have followed in Li’s footsteps by winning a singles slam although both Osaka, Asia’s most successful player, and Raducanu, whose mother is Chinese, have won slams.
Currently there are no Chinese players in the women’s top 50 and many stayed away from the tour for much of this year ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and China National Games.
Chinese No 1 Zhang Shuai was the only player to stay on tour throughout and she will play at the WTA Finals in Mexico next month after winning the US Open doubles with partner Sam Stosur.
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