TENNIS – Italian top player Sara Errani edged World Number 2 Li Na 6-3 4-6 6-2 to reach the semifinal at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia for the second consecutive year. Down 2-3 in the first set Errani reeled off four games in a row to take the first set. Li Na forced the match to the third set winning the second set 6-4. At 2-2 Errani reeled off four consecutive games to seal a well-deserved win to the delight of Italian crowd who supported her in the Rome Central Court. Diego Sampaolo
Interviews, results, order of play, draws of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome
Errani won her first match against a top-3 player and broke a losing streak of 12 consecutive sets against Li Na playing one of her greatest matches. Errani won just five games combined in their last two previous clay matches. Errani won only a match against top-five players when she beat Agnieszka Radwanska last year at the Roland Garros.
Li Na committed 52 unforced errors to Errani’s 21. Errani has become the first Italian player to reach two consecutive semifinals in Rome since Lucia Valero.
Li Na had won all their six previous head-to-head matches dropping just a set in their first match in 2008.
In the first set Errani broke serve in the third game to take a 2-1 lead when Li Na hit her forehand into the net but the Chinese player broke straight back. Down 2-3 in the first set Errani saved three break points before breaking serve in the next game with a backhand passing shot. She held serve for 5-3 before closing out the first set in the ninth game
Leading 3-2 in the second set Errani could not convert on two break points and dropped serve to love in the next game. Errani drew level to 4-4 but Li Na won the next two games closing out the second set with an ace for 6-4.
Errani converted on 8 of her 13 break points compared to 5 of 14 for Li Na.
Errani bounced back and stormed to 2-0 after Li Na a double fault. The Chinese star, Roland Garros winner in 2012, drew level to 2-2 but Errani saved a crucial break point in the fifth game before breaking serve for 4-2. Errani won the seventh game to pull away to 5-2. Li Na served to stay in the match but she went down 30-40. Li Na hit a forehand long on Errani’s match point and the Italian could celebrate a well-deserved win in front of Italian fans on the Central Court of the Foro Italico. Errani has reached her third semifinal of the year after Paris Indoor and Stuttgart on Indoor Clay.
Errani is looking to become the first Italian player to win the Internazionali d’Italia since Raffaella Reggi won this tournament 29 years ago.
“I thank the crowd who gave me a very strong support and enabled me to win”, said Errani
