Li Na advances to Australian Open final

Melbourne, Jan 23 (IANS) Two-time runner-up Li Na of China advanced to her third Australian Open final with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard here Thursday.

The experienced Li jumped to 5-0 in the first set with Bouchard only managing to win four points in the opening games. She broke Bouchard three times, winning all by love-game and sealed the first set in 28 minutes, reports Xinhua.

“I just wanted to get into the match a little bit more. I feel like Li was really hitting her shots. I was kind of just letting her hit all these winners side to side. It wasn’t really my game,” said Bouchard.

Bouchard found her range to snatch two games late in the first set and she continued that momentum as she took a 2-0 lead in the second set.

But Li then rattled off three successive games to deny the recovery. She won six of the final eight games to set up a final against Dominika Cibulokova of Slovakia, who beat fifth seed Agnieszka Radwansha of Poland 6-1, 6-2.

“I think I played well in the beginning. Second set was a little bit tight because I was feeling one feet already in the final,” said Li Na.

“Li played really well. You have to give her credit. All of her ground strokes were like a foot from baseline and she was very consistent. Even her serves were really solid,” said the 19-year-old Canadian.

Li made into finals at Melbourne Park in 2011 and 2013, losing to Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka.