China's most successful tennis player Li Na is just "three more steps" from making tennis history, a prospect that makes her mother very nervous.

The 28-year-old player's mother supports her career but can't bring herself to follow it.

"She can't watch me play tennis. I'll ask her many times, 'Please travel with me.' She says 'No. I want to stay because I don't want to watch,'" Li said, smiling. "She's so nervous."