Li Na reaches third Australian Open semifinal

Li Na reaches third Australian Open semifinalMelbourne, Jan 22 : Former French Open champion Li Na knocked out fourth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets to reach her third Australian Open semifinal here Tuesday.

The Chinese top player's 7-5, 6-3 victory over the Pole set her up a semifinal meeting against the winner of the match between last year runner-up Maria Sharapova and her fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova, Xinhua reports.

Li won an unpredictable first set lasting 66 minutes. In a match featuring 10 breaks of serve, six of which by the No. 4 seed Chinese, Li won five games in a row after trailing 0-2 in the second set. Serving for the match, Li saved two break points before winning the one-hour-42-minute quarterfinal.

Li ended the Polish's 13-match winning streak in the year to reach her third semifinal at Melbourne Park. She made the last four here in 2010 and 2011. Li lost to Kim Clijsters in 2011 final just before she took her first and only Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.(IANS)