Li : I can cope with pressure

French Open champion Li Na insists she can cope with the extra pressure of being Asia's first Grand Slam singles winner as the Chinese star aims to continue her year to remember at Wimbledon. Li made history when she ended the long wait for an Asian champion in one of the four majors by defeating Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the French Open final earlier this month. The 29-year-old's success is predicted to spark an explosion of interest in tennis in Asia after an estimated 116 million people in China tuned in to watch her beat Schiavone. Li, who faces Russia's Alla Kudryavtseva in the Wimbledon first round, also reached the Australian Open final in January before losing to Kim Clijsters. For the first time in her career, she finds herself in the spotlight as fans back in China now expect her to deliver success on a regular basis. But Li has no doubts she will be able to cope with the increased expectations. "There is a little bit of pressure but I like it. That can improve you a lot," she said. "After Paris I stayed in Europe. I know if I go back to China people will be crazy. "Right now I couldn't imagine if I go back what would happen. But now it is Wimbledon. If I don't do well here maybe they forget me already." Due to the demands of her playing schedule, Li has been unable to celebrate with her family in China and she revealed her mother may not appreciate just what a star she has become. "She knows I won the tournament but I don't know if she knows how big the tournament is. I didn't ask her," Li said. "After the match she just sent me a text message. She asked when I was back. I said after Wimbledon, and then she never replied! "For me it is just like a dream come true. I think it will do a little bit to improve tennis in China because right now more children think 'Okay, maybe someday I can do the same or even better than her'. "Now the children have more confident to play professional tennis." Li could face a tougher challenge at the All England Club than she did in Paris as Serena and Venus Williams -- who have won nine Wimbledon titles between them -- are both back in action after long injury absences. The change from clay to grass courts is another difficulty for a player who has never been past the last eight at Wimbledon and she admits the French Open has already been consigned to the back of her mind. "The next day I woke up and asked my husband if it was real or fake because I still didn't believe. But after that I took three days off and then tried to focus on tennis again," Li said. "Just because you win the French Open doesn't mean you can do well in Wimbledon. It's a change of surface. Totally different. Of course I'm confident, but Paris is over. Now I'm just focused on the Wimbledon." Li's success has also gone down well among her peers on both the men's and women's tours. World number one Caroline Wozniacki said: "I was real happy for Li that she won the French Open. She's one of my good friends. We always talk a lot and practice together. "She's a bit shy to people she doesn't know, but once you get to know her she's a great girl. Her personality is very funny. "It's great for women's tennis. China's a huge market. I think it was over 100 million people watched her play the final. "I'm sure a lot of young girls and boys in China now want to play tennis because they saw Li."