Li Na takes first set against Kim Clijsters
The 2011 Australian Open is underway at Melbourne Park, with World Number 2 Kim Clijsters competing against World Number 7 Li Na.
The two players are both fighting for their maiden Australian Open win. In fact, Li Na is the first Asian player to make it to a Grand Slam final in the history of tennis.
The match began with Kim Clijsters in full form, entering the first set with determination and her trademark aggressive style of play. She managed to take the first service game easily, refusing to give Li Na a chance to capitalize. She also broke the Chinese
player’s serve to love.
However, the first few minutes of the match do not dictate the rest. The Belgian player, who began the tournament as third seed, was challenged quickly when Li Na fought back and broke immediately to level the scores once again.
If Clijsters had been hoping for an easy victory, Li Na effectively rid her of that notion.
The Chinese player, who was seeded ninth, was forced to save two break points in the sixth game of the match. However, she made a quick recovery and paid Clijsters back in kind by breaking the tennis supermom twice.
Kim was broken in the seventh and ninth games, and Li Na was able to take the first set 6-3.
If Li Na wins the match, she will become Asia’s first Grand Slam singles champion. She has quickly garnered appreciation from the Australian crowds due to her quirky, warm interviews and friendly attitude.
However, Clijsters is still the favourite to win. The player has been adopted as an honorary Australian ever since her relationship with Aussie player, Lleyton Hewitt. She is also the more experienced player, with three Grand Slam singles titles under her
belt.
Clijsters was recently defeated by Na at the Medibank International title match, and it increases the Chinese player’s chances greatly. If she wins the tournament, it may herald a revolution for tennis in China.
Regardless of whether or not Kim wins, this will probably be her last full year on tour.
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