China's sporting stars have long been pinned to its all-­conquering Olympic program and relentless dominance of the ping-pong table and badminton court.

However, in a nation of over 1.3 ­billion, it was inevitable that individual athletes would come to the fore on the world stage. 2014 was that year. Solo sports stars took the headlines and these are the five who dominated the sports pages, for both good and bad.

Chinese tennis great Li Na weeps in her retirement ceremony during the China Open on September 30 in Beijing. Photo: CFP

Li Na (tennis)

The Wuhan native had her annis mirabilis and annus horibilis this year. She claimed her second Grand Slam title in January when she beat Dominika Cibulkova in straight sets at Melbourne Park and moved to world No.2, the highest-ever rank achieved by an Asian player.

This was the highlight as a string of knee problems put paid to her participation in the WTA season and ended with the announcement of her retirement on September 19.

Always great copy, on and off the court, Chinese sport has lost its biggest personality but Li goes out as the only Asian winner of a Grand Slam. An inspiration to many in China and across Asia, Li will return to the scene of her final triumph as a "Friend of the Australian Open" in January.

Ding Junhui Photo: CFP

Ding Junhui (snooker)

Jiangsu's very own happy potter had a glorious end to the 2013-14 World Snooker season as he enjoyed victories in both the German Open and China Open to match Stephen Hendry's record of winning five ranking titles in the same season.

Given that Ding started the ­campaign as the No.10 seed and was runner-up at the Welsh Open in March, this was a meteoric rise and almost a new record.

In the 2014-15 season, Ding climbed to the very peak of his sport and occupied the No.1 slot for a week in September, becoming the first Asian world No.1.

There is real belief that Ding, who is currently the world No.2 and still just 27, can make good on the teenage promise that made him a household name and become the dominant force in the game.

Sun Yang Photo: CFP

Sun Yang (swimming)

At nearly two meters tall, Sun is hard to catch in the pool and hard to miss out of it.

His visibility makes no excuses for his notoriety, which is all of his own doing. The two-time Olympic champion started the year suspended indefinitely after admitting driving without a license, after an incident where his Porsche Cayenne was hit by a bus. Sun made his comeback from the enforced hiatus at the China Spring Nationals where he won gold in the 200 meters freestyle. He competed in the Asian Games in September and won three more golds.

However, Sun had tested positive for the banned stimulant trimetazidine back in May and this only came to light in November when the Chinese Swimming Association banned him for just three months. Chinese swimming authorities claimed the lenient ban reflected that Sun did not intend to cheat, as it was heart medication.

Swimming Australia has since banned the controversy-laden 23-year-old from continuing his ­current training in the country.

Ning Zetao Photo: CFP

Ning Zetao (swimming)

This was a breakout year for the Zhengzhou freestyler.

At the 2014 Asian Games he burst onto the scene with gold medals in the 50 meters, 100 meters, 4x100 ­meters freestyle relay and 4x100 meters ­medley relay.

He also set a new Asian record in the finals of both the 100 and 4x100 meters freestyle relay.

Ning could be just what Chinese swimming is looking for as the future of its current bad boy-cum-superstar faces an uncertain future.

Zhang Xizhe Photo: CFP

Zhang Xizhe (soccer)

Chinese soccer has been calling out for a poster boy for years and in Zhang Xizhe they may finally have one worthy of a sport enjoyed by a huge number of Chinese fans.

The attacking midfielder has just completed a move from Beijing Guoan to Germany's Bundesliga side Wolfsburg to become the only Chinese player in a top European league at the moment.

Much is expected in his home country of a man that made the Chinese Super League Team of the Year for the second year running in 2014. He joins a team currently second in the German league and his new boss, Dieter Hecking, has dismissed claims that the signing is a marketing tool as "rubbish."

Zhang is there on merit and, at 23, with an eye to the future but with his first news conference earlier this month said to be watched by 40 to 50 million, a nation expects.