Today on Rod Laver Arena, Li Na saw to it that Andrea Petkovic didn’t dance.
Li won, 6-2, 6-4, extending her winning streak to 10 matches. If she stretches that to a dozen, she’ll have more than a 12-0 record to show off. She’ll have her first Grand Slam singles title.
The two had never played each other before today, but Li had experience on her side. She turned pro seven years before Petkovic and is the only quarterfinalist who reached the quarters here last year. Meanwhile, Petkovic was playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. (In the process she became the first German woman to do so in Melbourne since Steffi Graf.)
Petkovic and Li started the year off better than most. Earlier this month, Petkovic reached the Brisbane final, where she lost to Petra Kvitova. A week later Li reached the Sydney final, where she beat Kim Clijsters in straights after being down 5-0 in the opening set. (It was the first time since Clijsters' return that she lost a final.)
Li didn’t start this match in Clijsters-beating form. She looked nervous, or at least played like it, making errors (especially into the net) and hitting balls short. She was broken in the first game; it happens when you strike five errors and no winners. In fact, her first winner didn't come until late in the third game.
Perhaps that reminded her who she was—which is, among other things, increasingly a favorite to win it all—because she went on to take that game at love, then immediately broke Petkovic afterward. Li didn’t make another error for four games. By then, you got the sense things would go her way.
Petkovic struggled some with her forehands, and her movement could have been better. But while she didn't play as well as she did in beating Maria Sharapova the previous round, she didn’t play badly, either. Her error count was higher than Li’s, but her winner count was comparable and her first serve percentage was superior (73% to 65%).
Li also didn’t play as well as she did in her last match, which was against Victoria Azarenka. (It made you wonder if Azarenka, who lost to Serena Williams here the last three years, would have preferred to play Serena again this year.) What Li did right is play a little better, more often. She regularly hit deeper, used more angles and moved well. As Martina Navratilova said, “Her strength is that she has no weaknesses.”
Petkovic's great run has ended, but it's likely that this is the start of something bigger. She’s projected to reach a career-high ranking inside the Top 25 and didn't seize up on the big stage. I think that’s a good thing: She brings some fun to the proceedings (not to mention, fine tennis and athleticism), but for now it’s mostly diehard fans who realize it.
Li is also a colorful character. She keeps it real, for one thing. During an interview she said something we all suspect but few players acknowledge: “After Serena pulled out I think many players feel like this is their chance.” She keeps it funny too. Ask Sharapova, who couldn’t stop laughing about Li’s comments during a trophy ceremony—and that was after Sharapova lost to her in the final.
On court, though, Li is all business. And she’ll have to be in the next round, where she’ll play either French Open winner Francesca Schiavone or world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.
—Bobby Chintapalli