History-making Li into US Open semis
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E-mail China.org.cn, September 4, 2013
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Li Na prevails in epic three-setter over Makarova. |
Li Na became the first Chinese player to reach the semi-finals of a U.S. Open when she edged out Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 in a last 8 clash on Tuesday.
The No. 5 seed reeled off the last four games to seal victory after nearly two-and-a-half hours at Arthur Ashe Stadium, raising both fists in the air as the New York crowd roared its approval.
"This is my first time in the semi-finals so I'm very proud of myself," Li said in a courtside interview.
"After losing the second set, I was feeling a little bit sad ... so I just told myself to play point by point and try my best."
Li's semi-final opponent will be world number one Serena Williams, who blew away No. 18 seed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0,6-0 in their quarterfinal match.
The Chinese player broke Makarova's serve in the first game of the match, but Makarova showed why she took out No. 3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in her previous match. Stepping inside the court and hitting her forehand with authority, she broke Li back immediately to level the match at 1-1. However, it was the No. 5 seed who seemed to do everything just slightly better than her opponent in the first set. A forehand into the net gave Li a break of serve to lead 4-3, and she easily closed out the set on her first chance to do so, firing a first serve out wide to easily hold serve at love and take a commanding lead.
The second set started out identically as the first, with Li and Makarova trading service breaks to start out the set. But this year's Australian Open women's singles finalist continued to gamble on her returns, hitting them just inches from the baseline and continued to put Makarova on her back foot. Makarova dumped a forehand into the net to lose her serve a second consecutive time, but Li inexplicably went off the rails serving at 3-2. She made two consecutive unforced errors to drop her serve once again. Li broke Makarova again, but found herself unable to hold her own serve, hitting a forehand long to allow her opponent to level the match at 4-4.
The second set ultimately went to a tiebreak. Li led 4-2 in the breaker but found herself unable to take advantage, giving away the minibreak with an unforced error. Makarova, a three-time Grand Slam women's singles quarterfinalist, took advantage of her opponent's tentative play and closed things out at 6-5, leveling the match at one set each after Li sent a forehand long.
The nervy affair between Li and Makarova continued in the third set with routine service holds, but Li stepped inside the court to hit forehands and grabbed a break of serve to lead 4-2. This time, Li managed to hold her lead, closing things out at 5-2 when a Makarova backhand landed past the baseline. The No. 5 seed raised her fists in triumph as she advanced into her first US Open semifinal.
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