Hingis Grinds Down Li to Reach Quarters

Martina Hingis wore down a determined challenge from Li Na to win 4-6 6-3 6-0 and book a place in the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Sixth seed Martina Hingis wore down a determined challenge from China's Li Na to win 4-6 6-3 6-0 and book a place in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Monday.

The three-times former champion reached the last eight at Melbourne Park for the ninth time in her career but only after Li had given her an almighty scare before progressing after an hour and 51 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

"If she carried on playing like that it's just too good so the important thing was to hang in there," Hingis, the winner from 1997 to 1999, told a news conference.

"Even from the first point of the match she was playing pretty good and I felt a little more under pressure, she was very consistent compared to other players."

Hingis, in her first match against the Chinese, lost the first set in 36 minutes as Li, missing just two first serves, dominated from the back of the court, relying on a break in the opening service game to take the advantage.

But the Swiss battled her way back into the contest as Li, the last Asian representative in either singles draw, watched her unforced error count begin to rocket.

The former world number one broke at the start of the second and despite Li's immediate break back Hingis went on to dominate the Chinese player's serve again in game six before levelling the match.

Having come to terms with Li's game, Hingis raced through the third as Li's error count spiralled to 69 unforced errors to hand the Swiss an eventually comfortable win.

"I played pretty well in the first set, in the second set Martina got my rhythm quickly. In the third set I just totally lost my rhythm," Li said.

Hingis now faces fourth seed Kim Clijsters in a repeat of their quarter-final last year, which the Belgian won.

 

Reuters