BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- China's Li Na, with a chance to move one win away from her first appearance in a Grand Slam final.
A win over Germany's Andrea Petkovic on Monday would send the Chinese into the semi-finals in Melbourne.
Li Na had never played the World No. 33 Petkovic before this game.
Li had a 40-0 lead after her serve...but Li would drop the first game and the second to trail the German 2-love in the first set.
However, Petkovic was soon forced into retreat as Li's fierce, flat ball-striking began to dictate points and a break in the fourth game restored parity at 2-2.
Petkovic's serve began to creak under pressure and she pushed a forehand long to slip 4-2 behind
Before folding rather meekly in the eighth and final game of the set. Li kept on to win the first set 6-2.
The second set would begin...much as the first did. Petkovic found success in the opening game of the second as Li Na was broken in the opening game of the second, and the German would open up a 2-0 lead.
But then Li broke her German rival's serve twice. Serving to stay in the match in the second, Petkovic slapped a forehand long to hand her Chinese opponent victory in 80 minutes.
6-2, 6-4 for Li Na...and she is off to the semi-finals of the Aussie Open for the second consecutive year.
Wozniacki Down Schiavone, advances to semi's
Elsewhere Caroline Wozniacki dragged herself back from the brink to power into the semi-finals of the Australian Open after a gritty 3-6 6-3 6-3 win over a dogged Francesca Schiavone on Tuesday. Wozniacki will play China's Li Na for a place in the final.
Djokovic beats Berdych, advances to semi's
Elsewhere Novak Djokovic took on Tomas Berdych for a place in the final four.
The Serb third seed, Melbourne champion in 2008, caught fire early, tearing through a one-sided 6-1 first set in just 36 minutes.
Sixth seed Berdych dug deep to force a tiebreak in the second but a wild forehand from last year's beaten Wimbledon finalist gifted it to Djokovic 7-5, and with it a two-set lead.
Djokovic quickly went for the jugular in the third, securing the win 6-1 7-6 6-1.
Federer defeats Wawrinka to move to semi's
Djokovic would meet the winner of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka.
Federer tore through the first set in just 29 minutes before seizing complete control by adding the second with a looping backhand.
Master broke apprentice again at the start of the third before sealing victory with another vicious backhand, which was too hot for his dazed opponent to handle.
Federer flattened his close buddy Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1 6-3 6-3 to move into the semi-finals. Federer, bidding to extend his record haul of grand slam titles to 17.
(Source: CNTV)
