China’s Li Na, the defending champion at Roland Garros...was looking to take the next step in her title defense and reach the round of 16 on Saturday as she took on America’s Christina McHale. Li has been looking very strong thus far as she attempts to repeat in Paris.
Li, the seventh seed at this year’s event favoured heading into the match with the 36th ranked McHale. McHale though, would start things off very well, as she was able to dictate play in the opener while Li struggled to find the game she had shown off in cruising into the round of 32.
Unforced errors would be the story in set one, with Li making 24 twice as many as McHale and this would show on the score line as the young American took set one 6-3.
After that however, Li would turn things around and completely dominate the final two sets. Li, winning the second set 6-2 to force a third.
And in the decider, Li would not let McHale back into it. After recording 24 unforced errors in the opening Li only had 20 the rest of the way and after a couple of breaks in the final set, she was able to finish off McHale with a 6-1 third set win. Li will now face Kazakh qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in the quarter-finals.