Fourth-ranked Li Na received a scare from 26th-ranked Lucie Safarova in Round 3 of the 2014 Australian Open women’s bracket late on Thursday, but Na eventually prevailed in the second match of the night at Hisense Arena in Melbourne.
Australian Open 2014: Li Na survives scare from Lucie Safarova
Na earned a close win over Safarova in a late-night thriller in Melbourne.
Scott Barbour
Safarova caught Na off-guard by dominating the first set, 6-1, before Na recovered to win the second set in a tiebreaker. Na and Safarova split the first six games of the deciding third set before Na took control by winning three straight games to finish off a 1-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 victory.
Na advances to Round 4 to face No. 22 Ekaterina Makarova, who dispatched of Monica Niculescu in straight sets in the second match on Show Court 2.
In other women’s action, Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, who is ranked No. 30, defeated American Lauren Davis and will face the winner of Jie Zheng and Casey Dellacqua.
Third-ranked David Ferrer took out 29th-ranked Jeremy Chardy on the men’s side in the second match of the night at Rod Laver Arena. Ferrer won all three sets, though he needed a tie breaker to clinch the second set in a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 victory.
Ferrer will take on Florian Mayer, who upset No. 20 Jerzy Janowicz, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2, earlier in the night on Show Court 3.
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