Li Na enters third round at Australian Open

Melbourne, Jan 15 (IANS) Fourth seed Li Na won 7-5 in the tie-break of the second set to beat Swiss qualifier Belinda Bencic in straight sets to advance into the third round here Wednesday at the Australian Open.

The two-time runner-up dominated the first set, playing only 22 minutes to win 6-0 without dropping a game and conceding only 10 points, Xinhua reported.

Bencic put up more of a challenge in the second set and broke Li twice to force a tie-break. But Li prevailed to win 7-5.

The 2011 French Open champion defeated 16-year-old Ana Konjuh, the youngest player in the tournament, by dropping just two games in the first round.

After Wednesday’s victory over Bencic, the Chinese completed back-to-back wins over the two youngest players in the draw. Konjuh and Bencic shared the four junior majors in 2013.

Li’s potential third-round opponent will be the 26th seed Lucie Safarova, who will play against qualifier compatriot Lucie Hradecka later Wednesday.