Li Na will hope to keep her head in
check and feet on the ground during her third Australian Open final
after her coach Carlos Rodriguez helped calm her for a thumping victory
over teenager Eugenie Bouchard in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Runner-up
last year and in 2011, the battle-hardened Chinese smashed the Canadian
sensation 6-2 6-4 in a sun-drenched Rod Laver Arena and will battle
Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova, the 20th seed, for the trophy.
Of
all her three runs to the decider, the 2011 French Open champion has
her best chance of casting off her 'one-slam wonder' status at the ripe
age of 31.
First-time
nerves cost her dearly when she was overhauled by Belgian Kim Clijsters
in 2011, and last year it was two unlucky tumbles on the hardcourt
against Victoria Azarenka that took their toll on Asia's first grand
slam singles winner.
"I
think it's the third time, so pretty close to the trophy," said Li, who
rolled her ankle against Azarenka and blacked out for a moment when she
thumped her head in the second fall last year.
"At
least I'll try to not fall down this time, because last year in the
final I think I played well but I only can say I was unlucky because of
falling down twice," she told reporters.
The
only slip-up Li had against the highly-fancied Bouchard was on serve in
the second set when she was broken early to fall behind 2-0. Read more..
Source: Sports News
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