Li Ning also faces tough competition from Nike at the higher end of the China market.

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But even as these improvements appear, Li-ion is not immune to competition.

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Fourth seed Li, the highest-ranked player left in the competition, will face Magdalena Rybarikova in the final, after the 13th-seeded Slovakian beat Indian Sania Mirza 3-6 6-0 6-3.

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Li Ning has been facing a number of headwinds that includes growing competition from domestic rivals, such as Anta and Peak, as well as shrinking profit margins.

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Still, Nike has continued facing competition from well-established international brands, like Adidas, and domestic movers, primarily Li-Ning.

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Yundi Li was just 18 when he won first prize at the prestigious International Chopin Competition in Warsaw.

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