French Open 2011 (Women's Singles) - China's Li Na Scolded Maria Sharapova to Reach Final

Li Na Reaches Final of French Open 2011 Beating Sharapova

PARIS, France (June 02) - China’s top seed Li Na beat Maria Sharapova 6-4, 7-5 in the first semi-final of French Open 2011 (women’s singles) at Roland Garros on today (Thursday/June 02).

The world’s sixth-seeded Li Na, who became the first Chinese player to reach a major final at the Australian Open this year, overcame Maria Sharapova to reach the French Open 2011 final and take a step closer to becoming the first Asian to win a grand slam singles title.

In the first set, Li raced into a 3-0 lead and broke three times as Sharapova, who took two games off the Chinese player's serve, struggled for rhythm in the wind and on the clay.

An awful double fault from Li early in the second set let the Russian back in but the three-times grand slam champion wasted the advantage when she committed the same error for 4-4.

Li, who lost to Kim Clijsters in January's Australian Open final, sealed victory and a meeting with the holder Francesca Schiavone or Marion Bartoli when her opponent double-faulted again, to the delight of millions of Chinese watching at home and a smattering on court.