An in form Li Na has swept her Japanese opponent Akiko Morigami
in only 48 minutes at the WTA Nasdaq 100 Open to reach the second
round.
Li Na won the rain-delayed first-round rubber in straight sets:
6-1, 6-2. She will face Russian sensation Maria Sharavopa in the
second round.
Meanwhile another Chinese player, Zheng Jie, the Australian Open
doubles champion, has finally won a singles match this year.
Zheng beat Varvara Lepchenko of Uzbekistan 7-5, 6-3 to advance
to the second round.
Compatriot Yuan Meng was not so lucky and fell to Marta
Domachowska of Poland: 6-4, 6-4.
China's Peng Shuai was another casualty on Friday as she was
beaten by 15-seeded Russian Elena Likhovtseva: 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the
second round.
(CRI English March 25, 2006)
