Li Na happy to set example for youngsters the hard way (2)

Inspired by Argentine coach Carlos Rodriguez, Li is trying to be more aggressive on the court, coming to the net more than she used to.

That new style worked well on Thursday as she beat No 8 seed Bojana Jovanonski of Serbia, 6-3, 6-3, in 86 minutes to make the semis of the international tournament.

"Most of my main opponents have become familiar with my game, so I'd like to change it a little bit. Hopefully, it will make a difference this season," Li said.

Although the current tournament is being held in the remote Longgang district, far from downtown Shenzhen, her presence has still drawn a huge number of supporters that pack the 4,000-seat center court each day.

After her second-round victory over US player Julia Cohen, Rodriguez and her husband, Jiang Shan, were even swamped by fans who wanted to catch a glimpse of their hero.

Jiang had to climb over railings to escape the throng and took a tumble.

"He had no idea how to get out so he decided to jump over the barrier. Maybe next time he will know how to complete a better landing," Li joked after perusing her husband's fall pictures online.

Thursday was a good day for China as another local star, Peng Shuai, overcame a first-set scare to eliminate Germany's Annika Beck, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2. She will meet Li in Friday's semis.

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