Li sweeps Sharapova aside for tilt at title
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China's top player Li Na continued her history making journey at the French Open, beating Maria Sharapova of Russia 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday to roar into the women's singles final.
![Li Na of China returns the ball during the women's semifinal against Maria Sharapova of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 2, 2011. [Bai Xue/Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20110603/000cf1bdd03f0f52624e01.jpg "Li Na of China returns the ball during the women's semifinal against Maria Sharapova of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 2, 2011. [Bai Xue/Xinhua]") |
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Li Na of China returns the ball during the women's semifinal against Maria Sharapova of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 2, 2011. [Bai Xue/Xinhua] |
Li, who also reached the final at the Australian Open earlier this year, was the more solid of two as they struggled with gusty conditions, recording victory in one hour and 48 minutes when Sharapova slapped down her 10th double fault of the day.
"She had a huge big serve so I thought please double fault so I can win the match!" Li joked in her courtside interview.
Li Na was superior in the pace and sharp-angled strokes. Her sideline-oriented attacks broke Sharapova's defense repeatedly.
"She certainly played a lot better than I did and a lot more solid, and, you know, she played the crucial points better," commented the 24-year-old Russian who has proved herself talent by winning the other three Grand Slams.
In the first set, Li raced into a 3-0 lead and broke three times as Sharapova, who took two games off the Chinese player's serve, struggled for rhythm in the wind and on the clay.
An awful double fault from Li early in the second set let the Russian back in but the three-times grand slam champion wasted the advantage when she committed the same error for 4-4.
Li, who lost to Kim Clijsters in January's Australian Open final, sealed victory and a meeting with the holder Francesca Schiavone or Marion Bartoli when her opponent double-faulted again, to the delight of millions of Chinese watching at home and a smattering on court.
"Melbourne is first time to the final, you didn't have any experience before. So you didn't know what happened, what I should do in the final," said Li. "But this time is second time to the final. Of course, you know what you should do. I know it's different surface, but you have played six matches already."
Li will rise to world No. 4 on the WTA rankings if she could clinch her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.
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