China’s French Open champion Li Na negotiated a tough first match at the Australian Open Monday while third seed Victoria Azarenka laid down an early marker at the year’s first grand slam. In stifling heat Li, last year’s runner-up, recovered from a slow start to down Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-1, after Azarenka had shown her intent with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Britain’s Heather Watson. Pervak, the world number 40, matched fifth-seeded Li for much of the first set as the two players traded a series of booming groundstrokes.
However the Chinese star always looked the more threatening and once she broke Pervak to open a 4-2 lead she never looked like losing. “It’s not easy (playing in that heat),” she said. “I’m not used to it. I came down from Sydney, but there it was only like 20 degrees. “It was really tough today.” Azarenka dominated Watson in the first match on centre court as she pressed her claims for a maiden grand slam win.
