Na Li is playing her first tournament since late June in Birmingham, and her marvelous comeback continues. The Chinese woman advanced to the final of the Mondial Australian Women’s Hardcourts with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland.
Earlier in this Tier III tournament, Li saw off seventh-seeded Sybille Bammer, as well as top-seeded Nicole Vaidisova.
The 25-year-old Li, currently ranked 29th in the world, declared she aims to return to the very top: “I want to be in the top 10. I feel stronger mentally. A new Li Na has come back. I feel fresh.”
In the final, Na Li will play Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who beat fifth-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals.
