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March 13, 2012

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Home 禄 Sports 禄 Tennis

Li beats Zheng, players struggle with virus

Source: Agencies | March 13, 2012, Tuesday | Print Edition

FRENCH Open champion Li Na beat fellow Chinese Zheng Jie 6-1 6-3, her first victory over her compatriot in five career meetings at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Sunday.

"It's always tough to play a same-country player because we know each other a lot," said Li, who became the first Asian woman to win a grand slam singles title with her victory over Italian Francesca Schiavone in Paris last year.

"We stay in the national teams so we practise every day and travel all of the time, so it's very tough. But I was so happy because it's the first time I beat her.

"The last meeting was six years ago, so six years can change many things," added Li, who is affectionately known as "Big Sister Na" and "Golden Flower" in China.

American teenager Christina McHale stunned Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory in the night session, which has seen several withdrawals because of illness.

Gael Monfils of France, Jurgen Melzer of Austria and American Vania King each battled an intestinal virus that has sidelined at least a half-dozen players.

Melzer did play his singles match but lost in straight sets before withdrawing from doubles.

Vera Zvonareva also withdrew because of a virus, but reportedly her ailment was not the same one that afflicted the other players.

Kvitova has been trying to overcome a virus she contracted while in the Middle East, and that manifested itself when she felt a loss of energy and movement after a good first set against the 19-year-old McHale.

The top seeds have remained healthy, although 16-time grand slam champion Roger Federer admitted to not feeling well after his 6-4, 6-1 victory over American wildcard Denis Kudla in the second round.

Rafael Nadal, playing singles for the first time in six weeks, also advanced to the third round with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Argentina's Leonardo Mayer.

Top seed Victoria Azarenka charged into the fourth round by crushing Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1 6-2, improving her unbeaten record to 19-0 this year.

The Belarusian world No. 1 broke Russian Kuznetsova three times in the first set and twice in the second.

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