Li Na, Victoria Azarenka Advance In Second Round Of 2012 China Open

Li Na (click to enlarge)

It has been great to see Li Na regain her form in 2012 after a slide in the second half of 2011 after winning Roland Garros. Although she didn’t make the quarters of any of the Majors, she did get back into the winner’s circle in Cincinnati. It would be terrific to see her win another title this year by winning the China Open. Li Na’s first career WTA title was at the Guangzhou International Women’s Open in 2004. It was also the first singles title by a Chinese player on the WTA. However, Li Na has not won in her homeland, nor even reached a final, since. She took a step to rectifying that by easily getting by Nadia Petrova 6-1 6-2, who came in fresh off her victory at the Toray Pan Pacific Open. Petrova also had won all six previous matches with Li Na. But those matches took place when Li Na wasn’t the top 10 player she is now.

Victoria Azarenka (click to enlarge)

Victoria Azarenka continues to play impressively, taking out the dangerous Sabine Lasicki. Things is sports can change from day to day, and in tennis can change from match to match, but for now Vika looks very impressive. Somebody will have to come up with a valiant effort to derail the Azarenka express right now. Of course, Vika does have a history of withdrawing from tournaments with a myriad of reason, but I don’t see that happening here.