Will it be third time lucky for Li Na at the Australian Open?
The 31-year-old Chinese veteran has reached a third women’s singles final in four years after brushing aside talented teenager Eugenie Bouchard in the semi final.
Li swept to a straight sets 6-2 6-4 victory at Rod Laver Arena to prove that experience counts at the pointy end of a campaign.
It will be Li’s fourth Grand Slam final and she is a previous winner on the clay at Roland Garros.
While Li has the experience and the higher ranking, she will have to get the monkey off the back after two failed attempts in Melbourne when she comes face to face with surprise packet Dominika Cibulkova in Saturday night’s final.
Last year, Li famously took two tumbles in the final loss to Victoria Azarenka, requiring medical attention, but still battled on for the full three sets.
Li used this reference point to quip about her history at the event and how it will impact on the final.
“I think is the third time [in a final], so pretty close to the trophy,” Li said. “At least I try not falling down this time because last year in the final I think I play well but I only can say unlucky because falling down twice.”
Li had the look of a player who had been there and done in big games early in her dismantling of Bouchard.
She breezed through the opening five games in just 14 minutes to lead 5-0 and leave Bouchard with her head in hands before the change of ends.
But Bouchard had not come all this way through the tournament to let it turn into an embarrassing rout.
The Canadian broke Li’s serve and proceeded to hold her own for the first time in the match and to breathe some life into her game ahead of the second set.
Still Li was going to be hard to stop after taking the first set comfortably.
Bouchard, a raw 19 year old, had calmed the nerves by the arrival of the second set and maintained her momentum to take a 2-0 lead in the set.
For the first time in the match, Li was tentative and Bouchard started to dictate points, but Li would hit back and rattle off three consecutive games to break the spirit of Bouchard.
On her form of the past fortnight, Bouchard is going to have a long and prosperous career on tour, but she learnt the hard way that Grand Slam finals are not served up on a silver platter.
“I’m proud of, you know, how I’ve improved as a player throughout the tournament,” she said.”But I’m never satisfied with losing I’m always disappointed [when I lose]. I always want to go further and do better.”
Australian Open
Women’s singles semi final
Li (CHN) d Bouchard (CAN) 6-2 6-4
