BEIJING: Home favourite Li Na overcame Germany’s Sabine Lisicki 7-5, 6-4 at the China Open on Wednesday to set up a quarterfinal showdown with former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
The Czech, who won the Japan Open last weekend, overcame Italian fifth seed Sara Errani 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in their third round clash at the prestigious Beijing tournament.
Rafael Nadal’s bid to return to the top of the world rankings remained on course as he progressed to the quarters of the men’s event, overcoming stubborn resistance from Philipp Kohlschreiber.
The current world number two could return to the top spot for the first time since July 2011 if he reaches the final in Beijing, and he moved a step closer following his 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory.
But his German opponent ensured the second seed Spaniard had to dig deep to ensure his passage to the last eight in a game that lasted 1 hour 55 minutes.
Nadal took an early 2-0 lead before being pegged back at 3-3. But he took the first set by breaking Kohlschreiber’s serve in the final game.
The intense competition continued into the second set, where neither opponent broke serve, forcing the tie-break.
Nadal could unseat Novak Djokovic from the top spot, no matter what the Serb does in the competition.
He will face Fabio Fognini in the quarterfinals, after the Italian ruthlessly swept aside Australia’s former world number one Lleyton Hewitt in a crushing 6-0, 6-2 defeat.
Elsewhere in the men’s tournament, eighth-seed American John Isner beat Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-7, 6-4.
Li said she was satisfied to have maintained her composure when having to score valuable points at the end of each set.
“I was very glad to see that no matter how the score went on the court, I can stay calm and control the match,” she told reporters after the match.
World number four Agnieszka Radwanska had earlier powered through to the third round with a convincing victory over American teenager Madison Keys.
The Polish third seed took one hour and 15 minutes to claim a 6-3, 6-2 victory over the 18-year-old, who is being tipped as one of the rising stars of women’s tennis.
Elsewhere, Andrea Petkovic continued her stunning form at the tournament by dumping out former Roland Garros winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in her second-round match.
Eighth seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia booked her place in the last 16 with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Kazakhstan’s Galina Voskoboeva, and Slovenia’s Polona Hercog defeated 14th seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-4, 6-4. (AFP)
