Thu,Jan 23,2014

Li Na beats Bouchard to reach Australian final (4)

(Xinhua) 13:13, January 23, 2014

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Li Na of China hits a return during her women's singles semifinal against Eugenie Bouchard of Canada at 2014 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 23, 2014. Li Na won 2-0. (Xinhua/Li Jundong)

MELBOURNE, Jan. 23 -- China's Li Na reached her third Australian Open in four years after beating Canadian rising star Eugenie Bourchard 6-2, 6-4 in Thursday's semifinals here.

Li broke Bouchard three time just from the beginning, winning all three by love-game, to establish a 5-0 lead in the first set.

The 19-year-old Bouchard, 12 years younger than Li, fought back to break Li in the sixth game and serve the next one out, but still could not stop Li from winning the first set 6-2.

Li and Bouchard broke each other five times in the second set. It was the two-time runner-up Chinese who finally took her chance to serve the match out.

Li will play the winner between Dominika Cibulokova of Slovakia and Agnieszka Radwansha of Poland in Saturday's final.

Li made into finals at Melbourne Park in 2011 and 2013, losing to Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka.