Chinese tennis star Li Na came back from a set down in punishing conditions to defeat Alona Bondarenko 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in a third round match at the Pacific Life Open Sunday.

The 25-year-old Hubei native moves to the fourth round where she will face off against Martina Muller or seventh seed Jelena Jankovic.

With temperatures peaking at 37 degrees Celcius (98 Fahrenheit) Sunday, Li wore down the 22-year-old Bondarenko with her trademark backhand.

Li has come of age this season, becoming the first Chinese woman to break into the top 20.

Seeded 12th at Indian Wells, should Li win her next match it would constitute her best run at the 5.3 million dollar hardcourt tournament. So far in 2007, Li's record stands at 10-5.

In other women's matches, fourteenth seeded Daniela Hantuchova, the 2002 Indian Wells champion, brushed off Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 7-6 (7-3).

In the men's draw, Czech Tomas Berdych (11th seed) suffered the event's first upset, losing 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 to American Michael Russell.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2007)