Li Na has appeared in front of her home fans in the opening round of the tournament. And the country’s number one player was hardly tested, as she swept past Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets.
The world number five was up from the start. Here we join them in the first game, Li already pushing for a break of serve. And her base-line strokes are too good for the Slovakian who hits into the net. Li going on to break in the very first game.
And she went on to break twice more. Hant-uchova hitting it long here at set point to put Li 1 set up after just 30 minutes.
And it wasn’t until game 11 that Hant-uchova managed to get any kind of foothold in the match. Here playing the home favorite around the court and she went on to bring the second set back to 4 games to 3.
But it was only a minor blip for Li who won it with this unreturned serve. 6-0, 6-4 the final score. And it’s all smiles afterwards at the net. The two being long-term friends. But it’s the world number 5 who is through to the second round.
"I played well. In the second set, I did relax after I took the lead. That has usually been my problem. I have a day off now, and have time to adjust and focus." Li Na said.
Radwanska reaches round 2
2011 tounament winner Agnieszka Radwanska overcome an early setback to win her first match. The Polish world number four being played all over the court here by Stefanie Voegele who is ranked 52 places behind her.
But the third seed recovered her composure in the next two sets to seal a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory which sent her Swiss opponent out at the first hurdle.