Despite thundering into the third round of the US Open in New York on Wednesday by handily crushing veteran Swede Sofia Arvidsson 6-2, 6-2 in 64 minutes, China's tennis queen Li Na has once again found herself at the center of controversy after a mistranslation of a recent New York Times article that circulated in the Chinese media said the 2011 French Open champion took banned substances on the advice of a former coach.

According to the Times' profile published on Sunday, Li was persuaded in 2002 by then-coach Yu Liqiao to take steroid pills despite allergies. The article also said Yu tried to prevent Li from dating Jiang Shan, who would later become her husband, forcing Li into temporary retirement in 2002.

The article triggered a sensation in Chinese media outlets, which translated it into Chinese but wrongly identified the substance Li took as testosterone, a performance-enhancing drug banned by anti-doping authorities around the world.

"Steroids in general are a kind of medicine, and only testosterone, which is also a type of steroid, is a widely banned substance in sports," said Zhao Jian, deputy-director of China's Anti-Doping Agency, as reported by Beijing Youth Daily on Wednesday.

Brook Larmer, who wrote the story for the Times, conceded that the information about Li taking steroid pills was not quoted directly from the player but sourced from her autobiography. In it, she said she took pills to treat menstrual disorders before the 2002 Asian Games.

Yu denied allegations on Wednesday that she ever tried to persuade Li to take drugs.

"It's something totally made up. I never taught my players to improve their performance by doping. It's not working in tennis, and I don't believe that's what Li said," Yu was quoted by Yangtze Evening News on Wednesday as saying.

Sports public relations experts said the Chinese media misled the public about Li taking a banned substance.

"Some media only pursue sensational and eye-catching news without paying enough attention to verifying the facts and their sources," said Hong Jianping, a sports PR researcher with Beijing Sport University.

Hong said Li Na is a typical target because she is outspoken, has a fiery temper and previously had a conflict with China's governing body of tennis.

Adam Zhang, founder of sports consultancy company Key-Sports, echoed Hong's sentiment, stressing that Li's individuality, which contrasts sharply with other Chinese athletes, easily sparks debate.

"Li's straightforward personality makes her a unique presence because individuality is not promoted in China's traditional sports system," Zhang said. "And the media would like to take advantage of that, turning each of her aggressive comments into sensational news."

Li's outspoken views have always stirred debate in China, most recently when she claimed "that (representing her country) is too big a hat for me to wear" in the New York Times profile.

That wasn't the first time Li said that she plays for herself, and she has frequently drawn condemnation from the Chinese media and outrage on China's Sina Weibo, even among her 21 million followers.

Although Li's budding romance with Jiang was squelched by the State-run sports system in the early 2000s, Li still sports tattoos on her chest and lower back that boldly declare her love for Jiang. She dyes her hair different colors and she doesn't hesitate to yell "shut up" at crowds during a match.

But a more mature Li said she has learned to handle the media spotlight and criticism with a calmer mindset.

"I actually started to feel grateful to the media. Everyone has to experience something before growing up. Without these reports, I won't experience so much ups and downs and I won't be as mature as I am right now," Li said after winning her first round match at the Open on Tuesday.

Late Wednesday, another Chinese player provided greater on court drama: 56th-ranked Zheng Jie upset two-time champion Venus Williams in a marathon 3-hour match - the longest between women in tournament history. So far.

Contact the writers at sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn and chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 08/29/2013 page1)