formally granted Hu Na political asylum. The Chinese government was infuriated, saying that this constituted blatant American intervention in its domestic affairs. They then announced they would sever all cultural and artistic ties between the two countries. A Voice of America radio broadcasting delegation visit to China, scheduled to take place just a few days later, was cancelled. American diplomats in Beijing found themselves cut off from invitations and contacts with the Chinese government. Long-term effects Hu Na's defection was a clear win for American foreign policy. Although Hu Na herself was likely of little concern to the Chinese, the incident was an embarrassment for the Chinese government and brought to light other bilateral points of contention. One contemporary article stated that the Chinese, through diplomatic channels, suggested that they would not have complained as much if Hu Na had been granted some type of immigration status other than "political asylum". Later life After receiving asylum. Hu Na played professional tennis for the United States. Her best Grand Slam result was a third-round finish at the 1985 Wimbledon. She retired from professional play in 1991, however, after sustaining injuries. Hu Na resettled in Taiwan, where she worked as a tennis commentator for ESPN and established the Hu Na Bitan Tennis Club in Taipei which later trained the Taiwanese tennis star Hsieh Su-wei. She has returned to mainland China many times to promote the sport and visit her family. In 2011, Hu Na had a dream which she interpreted as a sign to start painting. Ever since then she has established herself as a professional painter. She has produced over 400 paintings in 6 years. In November 2012, she showcased her artwork in her first oil painting world tour. In 2017, Hu Na held the "Hu Na Lotus Sutra Oil Painting Collection World Tour". WTA Tour finals Doubles (1–2) See also Tennis in China References External links 1963 births Living people 1983 in China American female tennis players American emigrants to Taiwan American sportswomen of Chinese descent Chinese defectors Chinese emigrants to the United States Defectors to the United States Sportspeople from Chengdu Taiwanese female tennis players Tennis commentators Taiwanese-American tennis players Taiwanese people from Sichuan Tennis players from Sichuan