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Li Na leads China into tennis semifinal

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China's top tennis favourite Li Na led China's women team into the semifinal as she thrashed Kyrgyz player Ksenis Palkina in her debut at the ongoing Asian Games in southern China's Guangzhou city.

Li, currently world number 11, deployed her formidable forehand and claimed six straight games in the first set to brush aside the 21-year-old Palkina.

Afterwards, Palkina fought back in the second set to level at 2-2 after breaking Li's serve, and even led 4-3. However, the cool-headed Li completed the comeback and crushed the Kyrgyz 6-4 to win in front of cheering home fans.

Li's triumph was joined by her teammate Peng Shuai, who defeated Kyrgyzstan's Bermet Duvanaeva 6-1, 6-2 in another singles in less than one hour, and pair Yan Zi and Peng Shuai, who beat components Berment Duvanaeva and Ksenia Palkina 6-4, 6-2 in the women's doubles.

With the clear-cut victory, top seed China's women team breezed into the semifinal slated for Monday, and will next plays Thailand for the final seats.

Li Na, Grand Slam semifinalist in Australia and a winner this summer on grass in Birmingham of the United Kingdom, will merely compete in team games instead of singles. It will be the last Asian Games tour for the 28-year-old from Wuhan of central China.

She pocketed a singles bronze in Doha Asian Games four years ago, and created history for China's Olympic tennis by standing the final fourth.