The 30- year-old Ms. Li fought back to even the scores at 4-4.

WSJ: Azarenka Beats Li to Win Australian Open

Ms. Li, an unabashed supporter of all things social media, takes a pragmatic view when it comes to measuring the results of social media investments.

FORBES: The ROI of a Handshake

Ms. Li, who also was chasing a second major title, found herself in early control of the first set, which alone included seven breaks of serve.

WSJ: Azarenka Beats Li to Win Australian Open

By the time Ms. Li was in her early teens she had a cellphone and was texting daily, and used a PC at her school for several courses.

FORBES: China's 'Generation X'

But Ms. Azarenka won eight of the next nine points and the set, as the sixth seed Ms. Li made six of her match total of 57 unforced errors.

WSJ: Azarenka Beats Li to Win Australian Open

In the first point back, Ms. Li injured the same ankle and hit her head as she fell, silencing the Rod Laver Arena crowd, which wondered whether it would witness what would have been just the second retirement in a Grand Slam women's final since 1968.

WSJ: Azarenka Beats Li to Win Australian Open

Ms. Li, who turns 31 next month and will rise one place to No. 5 in the Women's Tennis Association rankings on Monday, joked that she felt like she was at the China Open, because of the number of Chinese flags and cheers, both in Mandarin and English at the arena.

WSJ: Azarenka Beats Li to Win Australian Open

But Ms Li does not believe the search giant will take the challenge lying down.

BBC: Searching for the next big thing