Li Na overcomes tiebreak to make into third round

Updated: 2014-01-15 11:45

(Xinhua)

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Li Na overcomes tiebreak to make into third round
Li Na of China hits a return to Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during their women's singles match at the Australian Open 2014 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 15, 2014.  [Photo/Agencies]

MELBOURNE - Fourth seed Li Na won 7-5 in the tiebreak of the second set to beat Swiss qualifier Belinda Bencic in straight sets to advance into the third round here on 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.

Bencic put up more of a challenge in the second set and broke Li twice to force a tiebreak. 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 on Wednesday.

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