Li Na of China returns the ball during the 4th round match of Women's singles against Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, May 30, 2011. Li Na won 2-1 to enter the quarterfinals. [Source:Sina.com]

Sixth seed Li Na became the first Chinese player to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open as she recovered from a torrid start to beat Czech ninth seed Petra Kvitova 2-6 6-1 6-3 on Monday.

Li has reached the quarterfinals at all four major tournaments and will next play fourth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

Kvitova broke the sixth-seeded Li twice in the opening set, but the ninth-seeded Czech dropped serve twice in the second set as Li won five games in a row to even the score.

Li lost her serve in the second game of the deciding set when she double-faulted, but Kvitova failed to extend her lead as the Czech player lost the final six games of the match.